More Than 1,300 Sign Letter Asking Governor To Oppose Plaza 500 Substation: Community Group
A coalition of residents in Fairfax County, VA, has gathered over 1,300 signatures on a letter urging Governor Abigail Spanberger to oppose a proposed data center and substation project by Dominion Energy and Starwood Capital near residential properties. The Fairfax County Planning Commission is scheduled to vote on the substation application on September 24, following years of local opposition and concerns about the project's impact.
The Save Bren Mar Coalition, representing residents near the Alexandria city line in Fairfax County, Virginia, has intensified its opposition to a proposed data center and substation by Dominion Energy and Starwood Capital Group. Over 1,300 individuals and 29 organizations signed a letter to Governor Abigail Spanberger, urging her to publicly oppose the project's substation application before the Fairfax County Planning Commission's vote on September 24. The project, planned for the old Plaza 500 office park in Lincolnia, includes a 461,444-square-foot data center and a new five-acre substation, which opponents say would be within 67 feet of residential property.
Fairfax County's Mason District supervisor, Andres Jimenez, Congressman Don Beyer, and the Alexandria City Government have also voiced opposition. The coalition references a recent order from Virginia’s utility regulator for Dominion Energy to create a new tariff, ensuring data centers cover most transmission infrastructure costs, aiming to prevent residents from bearing costs for private entities' energy needs. The letter specifically requests Governor Spanberger to advocate for using the existing Van Dorn substation instead and support the Board of Supervisors if Dominion appeals a rejection of the application. The Mason District Land Use Committee is slated to make its recommendation on September 22, preceding the Planning Commission's formal decision.