APCo open house on Google data center transmission project

Appalachian Power (APCo) has announced a community open house in Botetourt County, Virginia, to discuss its Daleville Area Transmission Project. This project is critical for providing power to a Google data center, which acquired 312 acres in the county's Greenfield campus for $14 million in June 2025, a project that received approval from county leaders and Google in March 2026. The open house, scheduled for Wednesday, June 3, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Read Mountain Middle School in Cloverdale, will allow residents and landowners to ask questions and gather information about the project without a formal presentation. George Porter, an Appalachian Power spokesperson, emphasized the company's commitment to collaboration with the community, aiming to minimize construction impacts and ensure transparency throughout the process. APCo intends to submit the project application to the State Corporation Commission (SCC) this summer. Construction for the two-year project is projected to commence in the fall of 2027. The article also briefly noted common data center concerns, such as noise, air emissions, traffic, and water usage, as identified by risk sciences consulting firm Gradient.