Loudoun releases draft plan for transmission corridors; officials stress limits of county authority

County planning staff and consultants on Tuesday presented a draft electrical infrastructure comprehensive plan amendment (CPAM) that would add a county map and policies to guide the siting, design and aesthetics of new high‑voltage transmission corridors.

The plan proposes that co‑location and upgrades to existing transmission corridors should be the county’s first choice and that undergrounding should be used selectively “to minimize impacts on residential communities and sensitive rural and historic areas,” Pat Giulio, Department of Planning and Zoning, told the Board of Supervisors. The draft also calls for early public engagement and corridor management practices that allow native plants and pollinators in rights‑of‑way.

Planners said the CPAM is intended to give utilities, the State Corporation Commission (SCC) and the regional transmission operator a visual and policy framework to reference when routing new lines. “The combination of both the policies and the map provide a…