Board backs Dominion’s plan to use existing corridor for Morrisville–Wishing Star rebuild; asks for public outreach

The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors affirmed county staff’s recommendation supporting Dominion Energy’s proposed ‘‘rebuild’’ of the Morrisville–Wishing Star high‑voltage line, endorsing use of the existing transmission corridor and directing Dominion to increase public outreach.

Project summary: Dominion proposes removing existing lattice towers and replacing them with taller, slimmer monopole structures within the existing 250‑foot transmission right‑of‑way for a 4.8‑mile segment that extends from the Prince William County line to the Wishing Star substation south of Brambleton. The rebuild would add a third 500‑kV circuit in the corridor to increase capacity and reliability.

Why it matters: Staff said the Loudoun County Comprehensive Plan prefers co‑location with existing high‑voltage transmission corridors before routing new lines through undeveloped areas. Supervisors and staff noted the project will increase transmission capacity but that some spans will need limited right‑of‑way widening at three locations near the county line.

Discussion highlights: Several supervisors told constituents they had opposed earlier, off‑corridor alternatives that Dominion briefly considered and said Dominion’s decision to keep new lines within the existing corridor addressed major neighborhood concerns. Supervisor LeTourneau said he believed the monopoles will be "less wide" and that, visually, they may be an improvement over the lattice towers; he asked Dominion to return with more details on construction sequencing to ensure power continuity during construction.

Environmental and local benefits requests: Supervisors asked Dominion to hold periodic public meetings, post web updates on the State Corporation Commission (SCC) hearing process, and consider public benefits such as trail easements where right‑of‑way expansions are needed. Supervisor Tacrone specifically requested that Dominion consider providing land for a trail segment along Bull Run where the right‑of‑way crosses the floodplain.

Vote: The board voted to affirm the county’s position supporting the use of the existing transmission corridor and directed staff to request periodic public meetings and web updates from Dominion. The motion passed with one abstention (Board recorded 8 yes, 0 no, 1 abstain). Supervisor Brooksman announced an abstention prior to the vote.

Next steps: Staff will send a letter to Dominion requesting a public‑outreach schedule and additional project details for community meetings and SCC filings. The project will proceed through the SCC process; the county’s affirmation will be part of the record and staff said it will continue to press for community updates and construction details.