Another Proposed Substation Meets Opposition from County Board

The Loudoun County Board of Supervisors has expressed strong opposition to a proposed substation, named Deimos, planned by Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative (NOVEC) in Brambleton, Virginia. This follows earlier concerns raised about a separate substation proposal from Dominion Energy. The Deimos substation, slated for an undeveloped area near Belmont Ridge Road and Arcola Mills Drive, is intended to power an already approved, but not yet constructed, data center. Supervisors Laura A. TeKrony (D-Little River) and Matthew F. Letourneau (R-Dulles) voiced particular concern about the substation's open-air design and its proximity of 260 feet to the nearest home and a childcare center, arguing the location is not appropriate for an industrial facility. Supervisor Koran T. Saines (D-Sterling) questioned the specific need for the data center, while NOVEC's attorney, Gifford Hampshire, confirmed it was for an approved data center but could serve broader grid uses in the future. Project Manager Marchant Schneider added that without approval, the data center would need an alternative power source. Board members, including TeKrony, Saines, and Letourneau, urged NOVEC to consider a gas-insulated substation (GIS) instead, which is enclosed and limits environmental impacts. Hampshire stated that GIS substations are not part of NOVEC's current operational model and that the Planning Commission had previously been satisfied with mitigation efforts like increasing wall height and adding berms around the perimeter. However, Supervisor Letourneau emphatically stated he would not consider the proposal unless it was a GIS substation, and even then, he considered the location unsuitable. The supervisors are expected to make a final decision on the application at an upcoming meeting.