Virginia Homeowner, Schools Face Eminent Domain for Data Center Power Line Project
A Virginia homeowner in Ashburn may lose a significant portion of her property due to a high-voltage power line project by Dominion Energy, approved by the State Corporation Commission, intended to power data centers. The proposed "Golden to Mars" line also impacts two local schools, prompting an emergency meeting of the Loudoun County School Board to discuss approval and potential legal recourse. Community members express anger over the project's impact and rising electricity costs.
A Virginia homeowner in Ashburn, Vicky Hu, is facing the potential loss of a third of her property due to Dominion Energy's proposed high-voltage transmission line project, dubbed "Golden to Mars," which is designed to connect substations and supply electricity to the region's burgeoning data center industry. The State Corporation Commission (SCC), which regulates utilities, has approved a specific route, 3A, for the line, which would necessitate seizing part of Hu's yard through eminent domain for a 185-foot power pole.
The transmission line, spanning over eight miles, would also traverse or run adjacent to Rosa Lee Elementary School and Rock Ridge High School. This development has led the Loudoun County School Board to call an emergency meeting to address the line's potential impact on school properties and students. School Board Chair April Chandler indicated that while the SCC approved the route, Dominion Energy still requires the school board's approval, and the board is exploring an appeals period and legal recourse.
Residents, including Hu, express significant anger, feeling