What if you threw a power grid improvement party and no one came? Dominion Virginia Power is enduring that. The Alexandria City Council was less than enthused when it met with Dominion and Pepco officials Wednesday to learn more about a plan to bury a 230-kilovolt transmission line in the northern portion of Old Town, The Washington Post reported.
The line would run from a Dominion facility along Four Mile Run in Arlington to the now-closed NRG plant along the Potomac River. The idea of permanent installation of a buried obstacle in the area could put a fly in the ointment of Alexandria’s own plans for the land upon which the NRG plant sits. The 25-acre Potomac River Generating Station will be the focus of future Old Town North replanning efforts.
While Dominion insists the new line is needed to meet demand in the Alexandria area, many council members and residents at the meeting felt otherwise. They claim the needs of far flung data center growth in areas like Loudoun County is behind the plan.
Opponents are also upset Dominion is insisting on completing the project by 2018.
The buried power line proposal comes at a time when several utilities in the Washington area, including Dominion, are embraking on $5 billion in improvements.
