‘We are the extension cord’: Data center boom sparks power line fights hundreds of miles away
Proposed high-voltage transmission lines across West Virginia, Virginia and Maryland are drawing strong opposition from rural landowners who say the projects would damage their property while primarily supplying data centers in Loudoun County, Virginia. The Valley Link and MARL projects have not yet been approved by state regulators, though officials and analysts expect grid-reliability concerns to weigh heavily in the decisions.
Residents and local officials across West Virginia and Virginia are opposing the proposed Valley Link and MARL transmission projects, which would carry electricity to Northern Virginia’s massive data center industry. Valley Link would include hundreds of miles of high-voltage lines and towers, including a route through Cat and Rob Kemmerling’s West Virginia farm. Opponents argue that rural communities are being forced to bear property losses and eminent-domain risks while Loudoun County receives most of the economic benefits.
The projects were selected by PJM but still require approval from state regulators, including Virginia’s State Corporation Commission and the West Virginia Public Service Commission. Some counties have hired legal counsel or adopted opposition resolutions, while a West Virginia engineer has recommended denying the MARL project because it would provide no benefits to the state. The debate has also intensified calls for limits on data center development, including a possible Virginia moratorium, as officials confront surging electricity demand and grid-reliability concerns.