On February, 24, 2012, the State Corporation Commission issued a Final Order approving the 11.65-mile transmission line between the Northwest, Elmont and Lakeside Substations in Henrico and Hanover Counties.
In our continued commitment to provide safe and reliable power to area customers, Dominion plans to add a 230 kilovolt (kV) transmission line between the Northwest and Lakeside Substations in Henrico County. The 11.5 mile line will extend through Mountain Road Substation and Elmont Substation in Hanover County (see map).
Over the last two decades, this immediate area has experienced a 64% increase in demand for power. By 2013, forecasted demand could jeopardize the mandatory reliability standards that Dominion is required to meet as set by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC).
To minimize any community impact, construction of the line will largely utilize existing transmission structures on the established right-of-way corridor.
With the addition of this new line, residents and businesses in Henrico, Hanover and the Greater Richmond area will benefit from increased reliability. This project will support continued economic development in the region.
Maps
Between 1990 and 2010, this area has experienced a 64% increase in demand for power. Projections indicate loading levels that will require some new facilities and upgrades to alleviate the potential of equipment failure and extended outages.
Dominion’s new line project will:
View a presentation to learn more about the need for this project.
The State Corporation Commission (SCC) is responsible for determining the need, route and environmental impact of transmission lines at 138 kV and above in Virginia.
Dominion filed an application with the SCC on July 20, 2011. The SCC Hearing Examiner issued a report on Dec. 15, 2011. On February, 24, 2012, the State Corporation Commission issued a Final Order approving the 11.65-mile transmission line between the Northwest, Elmont and Lakeside Substations in Henrico and Hanover Counties.
The application and additional information are available to the public on the SCC Docket Search section of the SCC web site. In addition, interested parties may also comment directly to the SCC by sending an email to sccinfo@scc.virginia.gov.
To learn more about this process, view our SCC process map.
Contact us if you have questions or concerns about the Northwest–Elmont–Lakeside 230kV Line.
Yes, the property owner still owns the land. Easement agreements provide Dominion with a specified set of rights needed to construct, operate and maintain electric facilities across private land.
The Virginia State Corporation Commission may issue dates for a public hearing and an evidentiary hearing in Richmond. Citizens are encouraged to participate in the process and provide input. The SCC maintains copies of all documents related to the case. Updates about the status of the application can be found on the SCC website at www.scc.virginia.gov.
To learn more about this process, view our SCC process map.
Yes. The company, at its expense, will repair any private roads damaged by Dominion or its contractors during construction of the line or during future maintenance. In addition, we will reimburse property owners for crop damage and repair or replace fences or gates if they are damaged.
As part of the SCC application, Dominion completes an evaluation of potential environmental, cultural, and historical impacts of the Dahlgren Project. Dominion works with many local and state agencies to complete these evaluations and mitigate any impacts. The company also submits annual Erosion and Sedimentation (E&S) Control Specifications and an anticipated list of transmission line projects for the construction and maintenance of transmission lines to the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation for review and approval. For program year 2012, this project will be included in the annual submittal for approval prior to construction. Our contractors receive copies of the E&S specifications and any additional permit conditions prior to construction and are directed to meet any requirements. The right-of-way will be rehabilitated when construction is complete.
Our enterprise-wide environmental report describes our commitment to responsible stewardship of natural resources and provides a wealth of information on environmental management and performance. We also invite you to read our Corporate Environmental Policy and our Greenhouse Gas report.
Dominion is sensitive to public concern about possible health effects from exposure to electric and magnetic fields (EMF). We continually monitor EMF research and speak to our customers and employees regularly to share the latest information available.
The Virginia Department of Health, in its final report, "Monitoring of Ongoing Research of the Health Effects on High Voltage Transmission Lines," said:
"Based on the review and analysis of the exhaustive literature review and other research projects completed under the EMF-RAPID program, the Virginia Department of Health is of the opinion that there is no conclusive and convincing evidence that exposure to extremely low frequency EMF emanated from nearby high voltage transmission lines is causally associated with an increased incidence of cancer or other detrimental health effects in humans. Even if it is assumed that there is an increased risk of cancer as implied in some epidemiologic studies, the empirical relative risk appears to be fairly small in magnitude and the observed association appears to be tenuous. The studies published in the literature lack clear demonstration of a cause and effect relationship as well as a definitive dose-response gradient."
Additional information:
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