Energy demand in the Appalachian region is growing at a rate not seen since the years after World War II. PJM Interconnection, APCo’s regional grid operator, estimates that power load could double by 2035, driven by technology, agriculture, healthcare, manufacturing and logistics — all of which rely on reliable electric service to support the regional economy.
The Valley Link Transmission project is intended to help meet that need. Valley Link is made up of two companion projects: the Joshua Falls–Yeat project and the Valley North project. Joshua Falls–Yeat includes a potential 765 kilovolt (kV) transmission line spanning parts of Campbell to Culpeper counties. Valley North will build roughly 260 miles of 765-kV line between Putnam County, W. Va., and Frederick County, Md.
Public engagement on Joshua Falls–Yeat drew strong interest. In March, more than 4,100 landowners, business owners, community members and local officials attended one of 10 open-house events (including two virtual meetings) to share questions and concerns. Many attendees from a range of ZIP codes asked why a transmission line would be built near their homes when they may not directly receive its benefits, whether the line would serve data centers in Northern Virginia and whether the project would raise local rates.
“We heard these questions at most of our open house stops,” said Nicole Hodges, an APCo project outreach specialist working on the Valley Link project. “But we’re glad they were asked, because it gave us an opportunity to explain why the project is being built. We’re aware of the rumors surrounding the ‘why’ of this project, and we appreciated the chance to have an open dialogue with so many residents to help them fully understand why this is needed.”
Subject-matter experts at the open houses answered questions about the proposed 765-kV transmission line and addressed topics including electric and magnetic fields (EMF), potential land impacts and property-value concerns, providing clear, factual information.
Next steps and timeline
- Joshua Falls–Yeat: The team will review feedback from the first round of open houses and hold a second round of meetings in June to present a refined route. After those meetings, the team plans to apply for approval from the Virginia State Corporation Commission this fall.
- Valley North: That project will begin public outreach this summer with an initial round of open houses in July, followed by a second round in the fall and subsequent state approval filings in Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia.
- Construction on both Joshua Falls–Yeat and Valley North is expected to be completed by 2029.
Visit VLTransmission.com for more information and project materials.