Residents urge undergrounding or lower-impact route for Dominion Energy Golden-to-Mars line; county staff to engage SCC process

Dominion Energy has proposed several routing options for a planned Golden-to-Mars transmission project that would include 500-kilovolt and 230-kilovolt circuits, and public speakers at a June 2 joint meeting of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors and the Loudoun County School Board urged the county to press for undergrounding or, if overhead is required, to choose the route with the least community impact.

The advisory presentation from county staff explained Dominion filed an application with the Virginia State Corporation Commission on March 28 and later added an alternative labeled “3A.” Deputy County Administrator Joe Crowboth said the county and Loudoun County Public Schools have asked engineers and outside counsel to evaluate undergrounding options and that the State Corporation Commission will issue a scheduling order that sets hearings, filings and other milestones in the process.

Why it matters: commenters said some overhead routes would put lines near residences, schools and medical facilities and that early county engagement and technical analysis will shape the case before the SCC. Several speakers warned that if an overhead route within Dominion’s existing right of way is later rejected, Dominion could default to a route that primarily follows Loudoun County Parkway, which they said would have broad local impacts.

Public comments and claimed impacts

Several residents asked county elected officials and staff to press Dominion and the SCC for underground construction or, failing that, to avoid specific overhead alignments. A speaker identified in the record as Sushil Bombardekar (did not appear) was scheduled but did not present. Speakers who did present included a commenter who raised concerns that Route 5 (the “Orange” route, which follows Loudoun County Parkway) would affect more than 1,200 houses, 15 homeowners associations, Stonehill Middle School, Primrose Day Daycare and the Inova Loudoun Emergency Center, with some properties within about 25 feet of the proposed line. One speaker said a petition opposing Loudoun County Parkway alignments had gathered more than 1,200 signatures; another said Route 3A would place lines closer to homes in Loudoun Valley Estates and cross or follow Broad Run, affecting parks and trails.

A parent who identified herself as Pafna Chandok said undergrounding “offers safety, minimum environmental disruption, and long term value” and urged the county to champion hybrid or full underground routes. Sam Utreja and other speakers urged officials to avoid newly impacted open spaces and to protect school and residential areas.

County staff update and next steps

Joe Crowboth told the committee Dominion’s initial filing included five routes and the board previously endorsed Route 4 with Route 3 as a secondary alternative. Crowboth said Dominion later filed a revised “alternative 3A” that generally follows the earlier Route 3 but shifts to the north side of Broad Run to avoid crossing Loudoun County Public Schools property; that northward move would bring the line closer to private residences, he said.

Crowboth and senior assistant county attorney Jonathan Zator said the county has retained engineering consultants and outside counsel to analyze undergrounding feasibility and alternative alignments. The presenters said Dominion identified technical constraints that complicate undergrounding, including limited staging sites for the required transition stations between overhead and underground segments, VDOT right-of-way limitations for construction methods such as horizontal directional drilling, and hard bedrock in places that could require blasting.

Zator and county counsel indicated the scheduling order from the State Corporation Commission will set dates for written testimony, public comment periods and hearings. County attorneys said they have filed a notice of participation and expect the SCC process, including local and Richmond hearings and filings, to take place before the end of 2025.

What officials asked and what was not decided

Supervisors asked whether alternative 3A would be within 500 feet of schools; staff answered it would be within that distance in at least some places. Commissioners asked whether undergrounding could be done for partial segments near schools; staff said consultants were examining staged underground options but had not completed that analysis. Staff and counsel recommended continued collaboration between the county and Loudoun County Public Schools in litigating and responding to the SCC docket.

No final route selection, permitting decision or formal board vote was recorded at the committee meeting. The State Corporation Commission scheduling order will determine formal deadlines for filings and local hearings.

Ending: County staff said they would share technical reports and the SCC scheduling order with the boards when available and continue to pursue options to minimize community impacts.