APPOMATTOX CO., Va. – A proposed high-voltage transmission line that would carry power to Northern Virginia data centers could run across central Virginia and affect thousands of acres, Valley Link says.
Valley Link is hosting in-person and virtual community meetings through March to gather public comment on route options.
“It just seems odd that Southwest Virginia is asking to supply electricity for Northern Virginia, and it’s not due to population growth.”
Annie Jones, an Appomattox resident, said residents remember past projects that offered little local benefit. She pointed to a previous easement, which she said reduced usable acreage on a neighbor’s property.
“They can’t benefit from it. They had another line come through years ago, and AEP offered $2,000 for one person’s easement that destroyed their 28 acres,” Jones said.
Valley Link says the proposed Joshua Falls-Yeat transmission line would be about 115 miles long and carry 765 kilovolts, the kind of high-voltage line used to move large amounts of power over long distances. The company says the route could cross as many as nine central Virginia counties, including Campbell and Appomattox, and affect roughly 2,500 acres of land.
“We’re going to take the feedback that we get tonight, make some refinements to the routes, and then we will be back doing this thing all over again. From that point, we’ll have to make a filing with the Virginia State Corporation Commission, receive their approval before we move forward with any construction.”
Scott Blake, a Valley Link spokesperson, said the company will refine route maps after public input and must obtain permits and approvals before any construction begins.
Valley Link still needs to complete formal permitting, environmental review, and receive approval from the Virginia State Corporation Commission before work can start.
For many locals, concerns go beyond lines and towers. Residents said potential impacts include farmland loss, changes to yards and views, and effects on neighborhoods and property values.
Valley Link has scheduled meetings to hear from residents and refine route options before filing for regulatory approval. Officials have not announced a construction start date pending the outcome of environmental reviews and the commission’s decision.