Two energy giants, Dominion and AEP, are planning to build a high voltage transmission line between substations near Lynchburg and Culpeper. At the Piedmont Environmental Council, analyst Mike Barber says it will have a huge impact on natural resources stretching 115 miles.
"It’s going to covert somewhere north of 2,700 acres of land to utility right-of-way, and all of that is land that’s currently forested or farmed— natural open space or someone’s backyard," he explains. "The structures that Valley Link has proposed are anywhere from 135 to 160 feet tall, so that’s roughly a 12-story building."
Valley Link is expected to file for permission from the State Corporation Commission this summer, and could win approval one year later, but environmentalists like Barber hope the public and politicians will step up to stop overdevelopment of the state.
"Dominion is pitching this as sort of an electric superhighway, where they’ll be able to add substations and other high-voltage lines off of it in the future to connect to other parts of the grid, and everywhere along the grid where there is space for a new data center and transmission line capacity to get that data center power, that’s an opportunity for a developer."
Community meetings are planned across the region. Here are dates and locations:
- Appomattox County
- Tuesday, March 10, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Appomattox Community Center, 220 Community Ln., Appomattox, 24522
- Buckingham County
- Tuesday, March 24 (two meetings): 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Buckingham County Community Center, 16268 N. James Madison Highway, Dillwyn, 23936
- Campbell County
- Monday, March 23, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Lynchburg Regional Business Alliance, 300 Lucado Pl., Lynchburg, 24504
- Fluvanna County
- Tuesday, March 10, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Fluvanna Community Center, 5725 James Madison Highway, Fork Union, 23055
- Goochland County
- Monday, March 23, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Central High Cultural and Education Complex, 2748 Dogtown Rd., Goochland, 23063
- Louisa County
- Thursday, March 12, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Betty J. Queen Center, 522 Industrial Dr., Louisa, 23093
- Orange County
- Monday, March 9, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Lafayette Station, 26322 Constitution Highway, Rhoadesville, 22542
- Spotsylvania County
- Monday, March 9, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Ni River Middle School, 11632 Catharpin Rd., Spotsylvania Courthouse, 22553
