Resident tells Prince George planning commission transmission lines are unsafe, urges disclosure

Justin Goodman, a Prince George resident, used three minutes of public comment during the June 25 Planning Commission meeting to sharply criticize transmission-line projects and data-center development and to urge the commission to demand disclosure and halt certain energy infrastructure projects.

"The perpetual lie is that transmission lines are safe," Goodman said, and he described what he called "induced voltage" shocks people experience near transmission infrastructure. Goodman told the commission he had asked Dominion Energy at a virtual town hall whether placing a 500 and a 235 line on a single monopole would increase effects; he said he was told the lines were independent but disputed that explanation and cited Faraday's law in support of his concerns. He also referenced a Dominion-related report for the Dinwiddie Sports Complex, saying it admitted that people could be shocked by transmission lines.

Goodman urged the commission to "shut down anything with energy infrastructure" and to require full disclosure about transmission-line effects. He said "everything is on my Facebook group" and warned municipalities are seeing packed boardrooms and recalls related to such projects.

The commission did not respond during public comment. The claims presented at the meeting were assertions by a member of the public; the county did not provide technical validation at the hearing and Dominion Energy was not present to respond. The resident cited specific technical and measurement claims (for example, an induced-voltage distance and numeric comparisons to microwave glass measurements) that were not corroborated during the meeting.

The meeting record shows the public comment concluded and the commission proceeded to the business agenda, including a staff presentation and a unanimous vote to initiate zoning ordinance amendments. The meeting minutes or subsequent staff reports may record any follow-up or responses.