Virginia As New Jersey’s Extension Cord

James A. Bacon

17 years ago

The high-voltage transmission line that Dominion wants to build across Virginia’s northern piedmont would supply six times the electricity needed to accommodate growth in Northern Virginia, maintains a new study conducted by Energy and Environmental Economics, Inc., a California consulting firm. The driving force behind the proposal is to wheel cheap electricity from power plants in the Ohio River Valley to high-cost states north of Virginia.

The study was commissioned by Virginia’s Commitment, an advocacy group that has popped up in opposition to the 500-kilovolt transmission line. Describing itself as “a coalition of concerned citizens, homeowners, landowners, consumers and business people” seeking 21st-century energy solutions, the organization posts a Woodstock address on its website (that’s the Woodstock in Shenandoah County, folks, not the Woodstock of 60s-vintage sex-drugs-and-rock ‘n roll fame), and its executive director is Dave Jeffers, president of Indelium LLC, an Arlington communications advisory firm.

The group has not posted a copy of the study online, but it does hit the highlights in a press release. States the press release:

E3 reviewed Dominion Power’s filing with the State Corporation Commission (SCC) and found that the proposed line has the capability to carry 3,250 megawatts. E3 said Dominion Power quantified the size of Northern Virginia’s overloading problem at 514 megawatts, if the line is not constructed by 2011.

“This review shows that Dominion Power’s filing is incomplete,” said David Jeffers, executive director of Virginia’s Commitment. “E3’s review raises serious questions about where Dominion Power really intends to send the electricity transported over this proposed line.” …

“Dominion Power’s solution is to first buy dirty power from coal-fired generators and transmit that power across 12-story high monster towers that would scar Virginia landscapes and communities,” said Jeffers. “Then the power company would sell a small portion of the electricity to Northern Virginia and ship the rest to urban areas north of Virginia.

“They want to use Virginia as an extension cord to connect the Ohio River Valley with New Jersey and New York,” he said.

Virginia’s Commitment advocates what it calls an “integrated resource portfolio” approach that would include:

Upgrading Dominion Power’s existing lines to increase capacity.

Developing a more diverse mix of Virginia-based power, including natural gas and cleaner coal sources.

Investing in energy efficiency and conservation.

Burying the lines in locations along the way, especially in places of scenic, historic, environmental and community importance.

Incorporating cost-effective levels of demand-side management.

Building a “distributed generation” network powered by wind, solar, natural gas and other sources of energy.

Cool. Sounds like what we’ve been advocating here at Bacon’s Rebellion — although, I have to concede, I didn’t realize it was possible to upgrade Dominion’s existing power lines to increase capacity. Wish I’d thought of that. For what it’s worth, the analysis is very similar to the case made by the Piedmont Environmental Council, which has led the attack on the transmission line so far. (Note: PEC is a major funder of Bacon’s Rebellion.) I’ve asked Dominion for a response to the E3 study. I don’t anticipate it will take them long to get back to me.

Update: In an e-mail to me, David Jeffers is careful not to characterize the E3 conclusions as the result of a “study” or “report,” but rather a “review” of Dominion’s 1,000-page application to the State Corporation Commission.

(Image credit: Virginia’s Commitment.)