Residents mobilize and coalition formed to deter power lines and data centers in rural, park and historic areas

By Audrey Carpenter

It was standing room only Nov. 30 at the Old Stone School in Hillsboro at the Transmission Line meeting hosted by the Piedmont Environmental Council.

About 200 people crowded into the auditorium to look at the maps of where proposed transmission lines could be built to supply more electricity to the burgeoning number of data centers in Loudoun County, and to listen to PEC and other conservation groups talk about their concerns about the imposing structures in the rural western part of the county.

Julie Bolthouse, PEC’s land use director, briefed the attendees on PJM Interconnection’s proposal to build 500 kV transmission lines that will deliver electricity from West Virginia into Loudoun County. PJM is the company that coordinates power transmission throughout Virginia.

PJM’s Transmission Expansion Advisory Committee, which advises the PJM board on the Regional Transmission Expansion Plan will vote Dec. 5 on whether to recommend approval of proposed routes across 13 states, including the footprint in western Loudoun. The PJM Board will then vote on the transmission line proposals at its Dec. 11 meeting.

Bolthouse explained that the proposed transmission lines would go through several national and scenic trails and historic parks, such as the Harpers Ferry Historic Park and the Appalachian Scenic Trail. It would also impact the Waterford and Paeonian Springs Historic Districts, as well as the Washington and Old Dominion Trail and the Philip A. Bolen Memorial Park. It would also impact Sweet Run State Park.

The next day, the Virginia Data Center Reform Coalition held its first press conference at the Clearbrook Center for the Arts in Prince William County. The coalition, made up of more than 25 organizations across the state, said its mission is seek reform from the data center industry to be more responsible and sensitive on where data centers and associated support infrastructure, such as electricity, generators and water sources, are built, at what rate and at minimum cost to the environment.

The full press conference can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iP1tvtTIGuE.