Loudoun County School Board Blocks Data Center Power Line Route, Appeals to State Regulators
A Loudoun County homeowner, Vicky Hu, is fighting Dominion Energy's proposal to build a 185-foot power pole and high-voltage transmission line through her backyard and school property. The school board voted to deny approval for the current route and appealed to state regulators to reconsider, effectively delaying the project due to strong community opposition related to data center power demands.
Vicky Hu, a Virginia homeowner, has gained local recognition for her efforts to stop Dominion Energy's proposed high-voltage transmission line project that would cut through her Loudoun Valley Estates neighborhood and school property. The project, intended to connect substations in Ashburn, Virginia – often referred to as "data center alley" – and address the growing strain on Virginia's energy grid from data centers, includes a 185-foot power pole near Hu's backyard and requires clearing approximately 400 trees.
The transmission line route initially approved by state regulators was set to run through Hu's and her neighbors' properties. However, a parcel of land was donated to the school district, which accepted it. This move blocked the original transmission line route by preventing eminent domain use without the school board's approval. On Monday night, the Loudoun County School Board voted against granting approval for the proposed route and is formally asking state regulators to reconsider and find an alternative that bypasses school property and residential areas. Despite this, a managing council for Dominion Energy expressed confidence that the project would still proceed in some capacity, highlighting the ongoing nature of the dispute.