Dominion has changed course in its plans to wheel more out-of-state electricity into Northern Virginia: Instead of running high-voltage power lines through the hunt country of the northern piedmont, it will route the line along existing right of way, according to the Washington Post.
The change would add about 28 miles to the length of the power line and add $60 million to the cost, which would be passed on to rate payers. But it would avoid disrupting the viewsheds of one of the country’s most historic and scenic areas.
No doubt Dominion hoped that the decision also would dampen growing political opposition. There were no immediate signs, however, that the power line’s foes were backing off. Write Michael Shear and Amy Gardner:
Spokesmen for both said they remain unconvinced that the power line is needed and believe Dominion’s proposed solution simply moves the problem from one place to another. “Their whole strategy is divide and conquer,” said Wolf’s chief of staff, Dan Scandling. “Dominion still hasn’t proven that this power is needed for Northern Virginia.”
Piedmont Environmental Council spokesman Robert W. Lazaro Jr. said running the new line along an existing right of way does not protect nearby homeowners from transmission lines that he expects to be significantly taller than existing ones.
He also wondered whether the existing path was wide enough to accommodate the new line or additional private property would have to be acquired.
“The fact is the state has a failed energy policy,” Lazaro said. “Dominion is a huge player in the politics of this state and is able to run roughshod over consumers and responsible legislators.”
Dominion’s problem now is that it has unleashed the genie from the bottle and can’t put it back. Galvanized by the Piedmont Environmental Council’s opposition to the power line, Virginians have awakened to the reality that, as Lazaro says, Virginia has a failed energy policy. Current policy favors investing in generation and transmission over investing in conservation and energy efficiency. Most people would agree that we need a balance.
What Dominion really needs to worry about is that skeptics of the transmission line won’t just retreat to their farms and estates. Now that their consciousness has been raised, the skeptics will take a critical look at Dominion’s plans to re-regulate the electric power industry as a means to finance a $4 billion expansion of electric generating capacity in Virginia.