Dominion Energy Electric Transmission March 2026 Updates

CHARLOTTESVILLE-GORDONSVILLE
Project Purpose: To maintain reliability and support growing energy needs in the area, this project will rebuild approximately 20 miles of transmission line between the Charlottesville and Gordonsville substations.

Announced in early February 2026, this project will replace the existing 230 kV single-circuit, wooden H-frame structures with double-circuit 230 kV monopoles. The height of the structures will increase from an average of 56 feet to 116 feet, on average. The use of double-circuit monopoles will reduce the number of structures by 20 percent and allow them to remain within the existing 100-ft right of way.

Community engagement is a fundamental part of Dominion Energy’s transmission line routing, siting, and design process. Keeping residents informed, updated, and involved strengthens our ability to serve our customers. Between the project announcement and two community meetings, 67 property owners connected with the project team. Residents shared interest and concerns related to potential undergrounding, load growth and grid needs, environmental considerations, historical and cultural impacts, and potential effects on property values. As we prepare to file with the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) in spring 2026, residents are encouraged to ask questions and share feedback. This input is essential to the SCC review process.
Pending SCC approval, construction is targeted to begin in the fall of 2027.

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HVDC (HIGH VOLTAGE DIRECT CURRENT)
Project Purpose: To bring bulk power generated in southern Virginia to where it is needed most - northern Virginia.

PJM is a regional transmission organization (RTO) responsible for coordinating the transportation of wholesale electricity across 13 states. During its reliability open window process, PJM solicits project ideas and solutions from utility providers designed to resolve identified constraints on the grid. The 2025 PJM reliability open window process began on June 18, 2025, and ended on August 18, 2025. Dominion Energy’s projects offered various scenarios designed to address forecasted reliability needs in 2030 and 2032. The Company’s proposals offered PJM the most effective and constructable electrical solutions that can be completed in the required timeframe at the most reasonable cost.

On December 8, 2025, PJM’s Transmission Expansion Advisory Committee (TEAC) recommended Dominion Energy’s proposal for an approximately 180-mile underground High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission line to the PJM Board of Directors for approval.

On February 12, 2026, the PJM Board of Directors formally approved the project. The transmission line, which is 525 kV, is proposed to be routed from Brunswick County in Southern Virginia to Loudoun County in Northern Virginia.

HVDC is not a new concept – it has been used elsewhere in the United States and around the world. However, deploying it will be new for Dominion Energy’s service territory, and it will be new within the PJM footprint. HVDC is only one “tool” in the electric transmission infrastructure toolkit. It is not a one-size fits all solution, but can be practical, prudent, and efficient technology when the circumstances align such as in this proposed scenario.

HVDC is a transmission technology designed to move large amounts of power over long-distances efficiently. Similar to a generation plant, HVDC power is dispatchable. This means the power can be dialed up or down depending upon what is needed to serve the load at any given time. Like a highway with no traffic, HVDC is a solution that provides bulk power flow almost uninterrupted. This will reduce load losses and reduce the need for added infrastructure.

Later in 2026, Dominion Energy will officially kick off the project with robust community engagement prior to submitting an application to the SCC.

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JOSHUA FALLS-YEAT
Project Purpose: To develop a new, high-voltage electric transmission backbone, designed to bring bulk electricity into the region and throughout the Commonwealth to reliably serve customers’ growing energy needs.

Proposed by Valley Link, a joint venture between Dominion Energy, Transource (a partnership between American Electric Power and Evergy), and FirstEnergy, Joshua Falls-Yeat proposes a new, 115-mile 765 kV transmission line that will connect the existing Joshua Falls Substation in Campbell County to the proposed Yeat Substation in Culpeper County. This would be the first 765kV transmission line within Dominion Energy’s service territory.

Dominion Energy is responsible for the routing, permitting and outreach components for Joshua Falls-Yeat. Routing efforts have focused on two corridors in a study area that spans nine counties.

Since our December 2025 update, the Joshua Falls to Yeat project team has done extensive outreach efforts in those nine counties. The team has met with civic groups, libraries, soil and water conservation personnel, county administrators and members of the public. During the month of March, the project team conducted a series of in-person open houses in all the affected counties. The team also hosted two virtual meetings. Collectively, more than 4,300 residents attended these meetings to learn about the project and ask questions.

In both in-person and virtual formats, participants were encouraged to provide feedback and ask questions so they could better understand the benefits of the project and potential effects on residential properties. Overall, attendees were eager to learn and left the meetings better informed. While many residents remain hesitant due to potential property impacts, the project team has been very responsive and will continue to answer every question that comes their way. Frequently asked questions focus on whether it is possible to underground this line. This 765 kV line represents a newer technology in Virginia, and undergrounding a line of this size has not been done before. For that reason, our focus remains on evaluating overhead routes. Residents also commonly ask how the project will benefit the impacted communities, and whether this infrastructure is being built primarily to serve data centers.

A final route has not been chosen, and the open house meetings continue to inform that process.
Engaging with community members is vital to this project. While we concluded our initial round of meetings in late March, we plan to return to these communities in early summer to provide updates, continue listening to concerns, and answer questions so residents leave with a clearer understanding of the project’s purpose and importance.

We anticipate filing this project with the SCC in fall 2026.

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LOUDOUN RELIABILITY LOOP
Project Purpose: Relieve electric transmission constraints in Loudoun County that were identified in 2022 and maintain grid reliability.

The Loudoun Reliability Loop consists of three 500 kV / 230 kV electric transmission projects designed to relieve constraints and strengthen energy reliability in Loudoun County, particularly in response to the increasing demand from data centers.

Wishing Star-Mars: This project, connecting the new Wishing Star and Mars substations, is energized as of March 2026.

Aspen-Golden: Aspen-Golden was approved by the SCC in February 2025, and Dominion Energy is currently completing final preparations for construction. During the review process, the County proposed an Updated Hybrid Proposal (UHP) that would place approximately three miles of the 500 kV transmission line underground along Route 7.

The UHP was estimated to cost several million more dollars than the approved overhead proposal. Engineers testified that undergrounding a 500 kV line is uncommon and would require specialized materials, crews, and equipment. Construction challenges included shallow diabase rock, existing underground utilities such as data center cables and water and gas lines, and significant environmental impacts.

In addition, underground construction would have required large transition stations of 7-10 acres each, and no feasible locations were identified along Route 7. Given the substantially higher cost and logistical constraints, the SCC concluded that undergrounding was not a viable alternative.

Golden-Mars: This project was filed with the SCC in 2025, a hearing was held in January 2026, and an SCC final order is pending. Even though routing through some of the property owned by Loudoun County or Loudoun County School Board would minimize impacts to nearby neighborhoods, neither the County nor the school board has approved routing on their property. Therefore, those routes will not be considered by the SCC.

Route 3A is one alternative route that is under consideration which does not cross County or school board property. Route 3A would minimize impacts to Loudoun Valley Parkway but would have a significant impact to a few residential properties. SCC staff agreed with Dominion Energy that undergrounding is not feasible for this project. The next step is a decision from the SCC judges. If the SCC judges determine that undergrounding is not feasible, the County has indicated it would be willing to work with Dominion Energy and route through school board property. A ruling from the SCC is expected soon.

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W&OD TRAIL MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING (MOU)
Project Purpose: Formalize practices that support current reliability, safety and environmental stewardship standards while strengthening coordination between the organizations, local governments, and trail users.

Building on previous coordination frameworks, Dominion Energy Virginia and NOVA Parks signed a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) earlier this year. The MOU guides vegetation management activities along the Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Regional Park (W&OD Park).

The agreement is the result of a 6-month collaborative effort between Dominion Energy and NOVA Parks and a shared understanding of both parties’ missions. Routine vegetation management in W&OD Park is necessary for the safety of park users, as well as to protect the electric transmission lines in the park.

Appreciating the park’s importance as an environmental and community resource, the agreement promotes the pruning of existing trees when feasible, while recognizing that tree removal will be necessary in some areas. It also promotes the planting of low-growing native trees and pollinators and enhanced invasive species management to support the park’s long-term ecological and aesthetic value.

The MOU also strengthens existing communications protocols. These new procedures will enhance transparency, minimize disruptions, and build public awareness by providing more advance notice of vegetation management work. Dominion Energy will provide 30-days advanced notice by mail and posted signage along the trail. NOVA Parks, neighboring jurisdiction officials, and residents of nearby transmission projects and major maintenance work will all receive these notifications.

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