Proliferation of Transmission Lines & Substations
Data Centers popping up all over the county also mean high-voltage transmission lines and substations popping up next to and throughout communities all across the county. Particularly in rural areas where the board of supervisors has ALREADY approved so many data centers yet to be built.
————————————
Video: Hidden Costs of the Cloud: Data Centers in Virginia
This French video – produced 5 years ago – makes digital/data centers easily understood – now imagine today’s data centers 5-10X larger, requiring 5-8% more power!
————————————-
Just remember the 2014-2018 ordeal the Gainesville district fought against the transmission line required to support the Haymarket Amazon Web Services data center complex:
765kV lines approved by PJM – 2024 Window 1
TWO New 765kV routes – affecting our ENTIRE area – were approved by the PJM Board in February 2025. DATA CENTER EXPANSION is the MAIN Driver:
The bold green lines are new 765kV lines. One comes from the south outside of Lynchburg, VA to a new substation in Fauquier County, VA: Yeat. The other comes from the Amos substation in West Virginia to a new substation in Frederick County, MD: Rocky Point at Point of Rocks. The bold red line is a new 500kV line called the Kracken Loop.
Full details here.
These multiple plans will have massive 765kV transmission lines and substations (in addition to even more 500kV lines and substations) coming east through West Virginia, Maryland, Southern and Western Virginia, crisscrossing our area, and proceeding beyond.
What more will it take for YOU to speak out and take action against the decimation of our communities because of impossible data center demands, nuclear power plants being dropped everywhere, and VERY BAD votes by the Board of Supervisors to approve even more data centers???
*******
Morrisville to Wishing Star – 2022 Window 3
Morrisville to Wishing Star: Part of PJM’s 1st approved segment of ongoing Data Center Planning Initiative for transmission grid expansions (PJM map below):
Transmission Line & Substation EXPANSION Plans
Caused by Explosive DATA CENTER Growth in Northern VA
“Am I affected by this?”
The first “bite of the apple” – APPROVED BY PJM 12/11/23
Easier-to-Understand Overviews of PJM 2022 RTEP Window 3 proposals – MAPS INCLUDED
The scope of each proposal in each overview deck (below) is reviewed with maps and an outline of what neighboring VA county(s) or neighboring state(s) are impacted. Each deck first explains PJM, RTEP, Window 3, and the selection process and timeline.
To help make all of the PJM proposals a bit more understandable, I have broken them up into “batches,” with separate decks for each batch, containing a concise breakdown of impacts for each proposal. Links to each overview doc are below. Maps are included for each proposal in each overview doc.
If you don’t need to see maps, here is a spreadsheet listing all the proposals and providing details: 72 Proposals KSheehan 092323 pdf
———————
PWC: If a transmission line or substation (NEW or Upgrade) in a proposal comes into or through Prince William County, VA – that proposal falls into the PWC batch. The PWC batch of proposals ALSO affects MANY other counties and states (MD, PA, WVA, DEL, NJ) outside of PWC.
2022 PJM RTEP Window 3 – Prince William County VA-impacting Proposals pdf 092223 — Maps for every proposal
——————–
Loudoun: If a line or substation (NEW or Upgrade) comes into or through Loudoun Co, VA (NONE of these come into or through PWC) – that proposal falls into the Loudoun batch. MOST of these ALSO go through counties and states which neighbor Loudoun County (except PWC – which are all in the first batch). Note: Loudoun and other counties and states ARE impacted by proposals in the PWC batch.
2022 PJM RTEP Window 3 – Loudoun County VA-impacting Proposals pdf 092223 — Maps for every proposal
————————
Fauquier-Fairfax: Into or through Fauquier and Fairfax Counties VA – None of these come into or through either PWC or Loudoun VA. Note: Fauquier and Fairfax, and other counties and states ARE impacted by proposals in the PWC and Loudoun batches.
2022 PJM RTEP Window 3 – Fauquier Fairfax Counties VA-impacting Proposals pdf 092123 — Maps for every proposal
—————————-
All Others: None of these come into or through PWC, Loudoun, Fauquier, or Fairfax Counties VA. Note: Some of these counties and states are also impacted by proposals in the PWC, Loudoun, and Fauquier-Fairfax batches.
2022-PJM-RTEP-Window-3-All-Other-VA-Counties-MD-PA-impacting-Proposals-092123.pdf — Maps for every proposal
——————————-
PJM’s complete list of all proposals can be accessed here: PJM – Redacted Public Proposals for Current and Closed Windows. SELECT 2022 Window 3 Redacted Proposals at top of list – click on the little arrow.
Haymarket Amazon Transmission Line
Va. SCC and Dominion – Docs & Links
FAQ about the Haymarket Transmission Line fight
Adverse Impact Analysis Reports for proposed routes