Politics & Government

Dominion Project Focus of Open House Thursday

Proposed transmission line, substation intended to address demand and promote economic development.

Dominion Virginia Power has scheduled an Open House from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20, at the hotel, 44610 Waxpool Road, to discuss with residents plans for a new 230kV transmission between the Brambleton and BECO substations. The new line would then extend to serve a Waxpool substation on Red Rum Drive that’s also part of the proposal.

The new line extension requires new right of way from Loudoun County Parkway west through the high-tech corridor to the new substation. In addition, Dominion seeks right-of-way access adjacent to its existing right-of-way east of Loudoun County Parkway and north of the .

“Dominion will need to build some new infrastructure in the Ashburn area,” said Dominion spokeswoman Le-Ha Anderson. “What we’re looking for at the Open House is public input on these options, and options we didn’t consider.”

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The proposed project would be ready support a new data center in Ashburn by 2013, which is expected to promote economic development in the county, while also improving electrical reliability for businesses and residents.

The company has posted a map on its website depicting six possible routes for the new line extension to the new Waxpool substation, noting most of the new line can run along vacant arms on existing transmission towers, primarily east of Loudoun County Parkway.

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“We are thinking we can run the line 10 miles along this corridor on poles that already have an extra arm,” Anderson said, adding that about two miles of additional right of way is needed.

“It’s an area that’s very industrial now,” she said, but added that there may be unforeseen issues that residents can point out during the open house or at a future public hearing. “This is a really important part of the process.”

The proposed line crosses the W&OD Trail to the east of Loudoun County Parkway, but primarily is south of the trail. The bulk of the area where potential routes are proposed is within an area bounded by Waxpool Road, Red Rum Drive, Ashburn Village Parkway, Shellhorn Road and the existing power lines just east of Loudoun County Parkway.

Dominion offers information about the project, including maps off all the proposed routes on its website.

“You can see the proposal along with frequently asked questions and that sort of thing,” said Carla Picard, who is working on the project for Dominion. “We do think there’s valuable information there.”

Those who cannot attend the open house can find contact info on the website where comments can be left online as well.

After collecting comments, Dominion will weigh the various options, including those residents may propose, and evaluate the impacts. A proposal would then develop to present to the Virginia State Corporation Commission, which would hold a public hearing before making a decision.

The SCC must determine the route and environmental impacts of transmission lines rated 138kV or higher in Virginia. Documents related to the case are available on the SCC Docket Search section of the SCC web site, in the "Search Cases" section. In addition, interested parties may comment directly to the SCC by sending an email to sccinfo@scc.virginia.gov. To learn more about this process, see Dominion’s SCC process map.

Additional info from Dominion about the electrical grid:

  • The 21st Century Grid: This July 2010 article from National Geographic describes the electric grid and our modern day energy challenge.
  • The modern "electric grid," referring to the powerlines that supply your home with electricity, receives power from many sources and types of generation including wind, coal, natural gas, and hydroelectric and others. There is not a one-to-one connection between any fuel source and customer. Get more information on how the grid works
  • View a 3-minute video explaining how the electric grid operates.
  • Check out the interactive simulations available on the Department of Energy website. You can also see how a few simple changes at home can lower your own consumption — and your bill!
  • So where is all the power going? Find out who the big users are on an information-packed site from Virginia’s State Corporation Commission.
  • Dominion recently launched a Green Power initiative that you might be interested in reviewing. You also can learn about Dominion’s other Conservation Programs, including Smart Grids.

Timeline:

  • Fall 2011 – Community outreach; finalize route alternatives
  • Winter 2011/2012 – File application with the SCC
  • Spring 2013 – Pending approvals, begin construction
  • Late Fall 2013 – Complete substation and line construction; energize facilities

 


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