Valley Link power line draws local pushback

(The Center Square) – A proposed high-voltage transmission project in Central Virginia is moving forward as local governments raise concerns about land use, costs and potential impacts on ratepayers.

The Valley Link transmission line, a roughly 115-mile project spanning nine counties from Campbell County to Culpeper County, is being developed by a joint venture involving Dominion Energy, American Electric Power and FirstEnergy. The project is estimated to cost about $1 billion, according to company representatives.

Developers say the line is needed as electricity demand grows across Virginia, driven in part by data center expansion and increased energy use.

In a call with The Center Square, Dominion Energy representatives said the region is seeing “the largest increase in demand since World War II.”

Dominion officials said average daily demand in its service area is about 20 gigawatts and is expected to double within the next 15 years. During a recent winter cold snap, demand increased from about 20 to 25 gigawatts ov...