The State Corporation Commission has set an Oct. 22 hearing to hear from the public on a request from Dominion Energy for approval and certification of an electric transmission facilities rebuild in Charlottesville and Albemarle County.
Project documents from Dominion spell out a $97 million rebuild of 15.8 miles of transmission lines and supporting structures in the city and county, with a proposed start date of Jan. 31, 2028.
The file online with the SCC shows 175 public comments stating a variety of objections to the application – most notably, concerns about impacts on the environment and viewsheds.
The public hearing will be held in the City Council Chambers at City Hall, 605 E. Main St., Charlottesville.
The hearing will begin at 6 p.m. and continue until 10 p.m. or until all registered public witnesses have testified.
People intending to testify as public witnesses should arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the hearing and register with the SCC’s bailiff.
Witness statements will be limited to five minutes.
A telephonic public witness hearing in this case will be held on Nov. 10.
The evidentiary hearing is scheduled for Dec. 2 at the SCC building in Richmond.
Project overview
- Rebuild approximately 8.7 miles of the existing 230 kilovolt (“kV”) Charlottesville/Hollymeade Junction Line #2054 by removing the existing 230 kV structures, which are mostly single circuit wooden H-frame structures, and replacing them with double circuit 230 kV monopole structures utilizing current 230 kV standards.
- Install approximately 8.4 miles of idle 230 kV conductors on the vacant circuit of Dominion’s proposed 230 kV double circuit structures between Charlottesville Substation and Hollymeade Junction.
- Rebuild approximately 7.2 miles of the existing 230 kV Hollymeade Junction-Gordonsville Line #2135 by removing the existing 230 kV structures, wrhich are mostly single circuit wooden H-frame structures, and replacing them with double circuit 230 kV monopole structures utilizing current 230 kV standards.
- Install approximately 8.4 miles of idle 230 kV conductors on the vacant circuit of Dominion’s proposed 230 kV double circuit structures between Hollymeade Junction and Gordonsville Substation.
Dominion’s case for the project
The project, per the Dominion Energy application, is necessary:
- to resolve identified NERC reliability violations projected to occur that, if not relieved, will severely impact the transmission system’s ability to maintain reliable service to Dominion’s customers in the Gordonsville Load Area, which is defined generally as the all or part of Albemarle, Culpeper, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, western Goochland, northern Cumberland, and Orange counties, the City of Charlottesville, and the Town of Culpeper.
- to maintain the structural integrity and reliability of the networked transmission system.
- to ensure Dominion Energy can adequately and reliably provide service for the load growth anticipated in the Gordonsville Load Area.
Costs, timeline
The total estimated conceptual cost of the project is approximately $97 million (in 2025 dollars), which includes approximately $92.5 million for transmission-related work, and approximately $4.5 million for substation-related work.
The desired in-service date is no later than Dec. 31, 2028. Dominion estimates it will take approximately 12 months for detailed engineering, materials procurement, permitting, real estate, and construction after a final order from the SCC.
Dominion requests a final order by Jan. 31, 2027. Should the SCC issue a final order by Jan. 31, 2027, to accommodate long-lead materials procurement, Dominion estimates that construction should begin around Jan. 31, 2028, and be completed by Dec. 31,2028
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Chris Graham
