Grid-Enhancing Technologies provided by a spokesperson of Dominion Energy.
On Oct. 15, 2024, Dominion Energy Virginia filed its 2024 Integrated Resource Plan, a comprehensive, long-term regional plan to meet growing power demand, much of it driven by data centers, according to its press release, “Dominion Energy Virginia releases comprehensive long-term plan to meet growing power demand with reliable, affordable, and increasingly clean electricity.”
The company is making investments to expand the transmission grid. “In the first half of 2024, Dominion Energy completed 123 new transmission projects, including nearly 90 miles of new and rebuilt transmission lines and 13 new substations,” according to the press release details.
“We are experiencing the largest growth in power demand since the years following World War II," Edward H. “Ed” Baine, president of Utility Operations, Dominion Energy Virginia, says in the release.
The Connection reached out to Baine for comment and asked if Dominion would increase the W&OD transmission line capacity by building new lines, upgrading existing lines, expanding grid capacity through the deployment of advanced sensors and analytics, or other technologies to maximize the potential of the existing wires over the next five to ten years.
A spokesperson for Dominion Energy responded by email on May 29, writing that for any electric transmission project, Dominion evaluates “the most effective solution designed to minimize impact to the surrounding area while maximizing the infrastructure itself.”
“For example, we are simply replacing the conductor, or wire, on existing infrastructure, on a four-mile stretch of the Trail between Vienna and Fairfax. This will allow for more capacity along that transmission corridor. While grid-enhancing technologies are certainly a piece of the equation for a reliable electric transmission grid, they are one consideration among a multitude of factors in our planning and engineering analysis,” the spokesperson wrote.
“We’ve been closely engaged with NOVA Parks over the last several weeks, and we’ve had constructive discussions on the long-term forestry maintenance plan for the trail. We’re confident we can develop a plan that supports the trail’s natural habitat and preserves low-growing native species, while also protecting the safe and reliable operation of the transmission lines that serve our customers across the region. We’ll continue keeping the public informed as our plans progress.”
The spokesperson provided The Connection with a Dominion Energy document, “Grid-Enhancing Technologies.”