Piedmont Environmental Council

The State Corporation Commission (SCC) ordered Dominion Energy to create a policy assigning more transmission costs to data centers and other large-load users. The decision aims to prevent residential customers from subsidizing infrastructure primarily used by data centers, with support from Governor Abigail Spanberger’s administration and environmental groups.

Virginia governor Abigail Spanberger signed a bill defining agrivoltaics, which combines solar energy production with active farming. The initiative aims to provide farmers with supplemental income, reduce energy costs, and supply clean power while keeping land in agricultural use. The bill addresses concerns about farmland being sold for development or solar arrays.

Valley Link Transmission has released revised routes for a 765-kilovolt, 115-mile transmission line project from near Lynchburg to Culpeper County, developed by Dominion Energy, Transource, and FirstEnergy. The project aims to address energy demand in Northern Virginia and was identified by PJM as critical for grid reliability, but faces opposition over environmental and historical preservation concerns.

Ten historic preservation and environmental groups in Virginia warn that the proposed Valley Link transmission line, a 115-mile high-voltage project by Dominion Energy, risks damaging natural resources and historical sites. The line, intended to carry power to Northern Virginia, faces opposition over its potential impact on tourism-driven landscapes and heritage areas.