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Dominion Energy outlines local investments and rate case as Alexandria council presses for outage and renewable data
Summary
Dominion Energy told Alexandria City Council it has invested about $18.0 million in local reliability projects since 2022 and plans roughly $11.3 million in 2026–27, while council members pressed for outage-trend data, undergrounding targets and clarity on compliance with the Virginia Clean Economy Act.
Dominion Energy presented an update to the Alexandria City Council on the utility’s local reliability work, planned projects and an ongoing rate case before the State Corporation Commission.
Gaston Araos, Dominion’s external affairs representative, said the company has exceeded a prior pledge with about $18,020,000 invested in the Alexandria field office’s reliability projects from 2022 through early 2025 and described $11,300,000 in proposed spending for 2026–27. “We have planned in investing $11,300,000 and there are seven projects that we want to complete,” Araos said, listing work from switch replacement to substation improvements and an undergrounding effort tied to the Potomac Yard transition station.
Araos highlighted the GLIP transmission project—work that upgrades a substation in Arlington County, converts an overhead transmission line to underground between Arlington and Potomac Yard, and will decommission a Potomac Yard transition station. He also described customer programs and community grants the company has funded.
Council members sought specifics. Councilman McPike asked whether Dominion tracks year-by-year outage impacts and trends for neighborhoods; Araos replied he did not have precise trend data on hand but said he would provide it, noting, “I don’t have that information that I can share with you comparing to last year, but I’d be more than happy to get back to you.” Council members requested a durable metric set—outage counts, customers affected and restoration durations—and asked staff to track follow-ups.
Several council members pressed Dominion on renewable targets and rates. Council members cited the Virginia Clean Economy Act’s targets and asked whether Dominion is meeting the 2025 goal and is on track for 2045. Araos referenced Dominion’s Integrated Resource Plan and said the utility expects to grow renewables but could not provide a definitive on-the-record percentage for the meeting, promising to follow up with precise numbers.
On rates, Araos said Dominion has filed a base rate proposal at the SEC—the first since 1992—and that hearings were underway. He also described a new rate class proposed for large energy users and consumer-protection measures tied to that class, including contract commitments intended to avoid stranded costs.
Council members also raised equity and customer-protection concerns for seniors and low-income households who faced prolonged outages this summer; Araos said customers can file claims and that Dominion is open to partnership with local nonprofits for recovery assistance, including in-kind help through the company’s foundation and field office resources.
Next steps: Council requested follow-up materials including outage-trend data for Alexandria, a target or miles estimate for strategic undergrounding projects, clarification on the company’s renewable share relative to statutory goals, and detail on the rate-case proposals at the SEC. Dominion committed to providing the requested information to council staff.
