Residents oppose Valley Link project

Residents packed the Buckingham County Board of Supervisors meeting to oppose a proposed 765-kilovolt transmission line by Valley Link Transmission. The project, a joint venture between Dominion Energy, FirstEnergy, and American Electric Power, aims to connect an existing substation in Campbell County to a new substation in Culpeper County. Valley Link representatives said the line is intended to address growing electricity demand and maintain grid reliability, but residents voiced strong opposition. They raised concerns about environmental impacts on wildlife, plants, and the county's historic landscape, as well as property rights issues and the project's purpose of serving data centers in Northern Virginia rather than local needs. Many residents urged the Board of Supervisors to oppose the project and coordinate with other affected counties in presenting concerns to the Virginia State Corporation Commission, which will ultimately decide whether to approve the transmission line. The Board did not take immediate action, but the high level of public opposition suggests the project may face significant challenges going forward.