Questions about broadband, data center implications
Electric utility company Potomac Edison will be replacing old wooden poles and electrical lines in a nearly 14-mile stretch from Luray to Sperryville — a line that provides most of the county’s power.
The upgrade plan does not include increasing electrical voltage capacity. “The capacity, the line, the voltage, are going to stay the same, 138 kilovolts,” said Will Boye, a senior communication representative for FirstEnergy, parent company of Potomac Edison.
FirstEnergy hosted a program last Thursday providing information about the proposal to upgrade electrical infrastructure on a transmission line that feeds most of the power to Rappahannock County from Page County.
While the new poles will have the capacity to hold fiber for broadband connections, Boye said the company currently does not have plans to connect fiber and have not been approached by a broadband company.
“An internet service provider can file a request with us to utilize our right of way and attach to our transmission structures. Each attachment requires an engineering analysis to determine if there is room on the structure, if the structure is strong enough to accommodate the attachment, and if required clearances from the power lines can be met,” Boye said in an email.
“Whenever we’re preparing for a new transmission project, we always want to get community input early in the process, to let the community know what we’re doing, what the need is, what the benefits are, and give them an opportunity to become familiar with the project, ask questions and provide feedback,” Boye said at the Luray Volunteer Fire Department where the event was held.
During the Nov. 4 Board of Supervisors meeting, FirstEnergy director of external affairs Dan Tompkins told the board that the transition from the old line and poles to new ones will be “virtually seamless,” with no interruption of power in the county.
Most of the power provided to Rappahannock comes across the mountain range and through the Shenandoah National Park (SNP) from an electrical substation in Page County, Rappahannock County Administrator Garrey Curry said during the meeting.
The electrical line is supported by 40-year-old double wooden poles that are at the end of their recommended lifespan, according to Tompkins. FirstEnergy plans to replace 13.8 miles of electrical line and poles, swapping them for new line, conductors and single weatherized steel poles.
According to FirstEnergy, the existing corridor will be used for the new line and poles, but easements along the corridor may need to be expanded by 15 feet in some areas between Page County and SNP to meet the required clearance space for the new line.
The project’s preliminary timeline has work set to begin in 2026, with completion by 2028. The company is performing survey work along the right of way and ensuring their compliance with environmental regulations. The project will need approval from the State Corporation Commission, which FirstEnergy estimates will come through in early 2025.
Stonewall-Hawthorne Supervisor Van Carney asked Tompkins if in the future, would the upgraded infrastructure allow for more power to be supplied to the county, and would it affect the county’s ability to host a data center. “I think the one question that I will get a lot is how much more capacity can be put on,” Carney said.
“This is not a data center project,” Tompkins said. “We’re cognizant of transmission projects having heightened sensitivity, particularly in Virginia today. We wanted to make sure you know who to talk to, to ask questions and what this project was and was not.”
Representatives from FirstEnergy set up maps and information stations on topics like engineering, environmental impact, real estate and vegetation management to address specific questions from residents at the event.
Residents with questions can call a dedicated transmission project hotline at 888-311-4737 or email [email protected].
Ireland Hayes is a reporter for Foothills Forum, a nonprofit organization that supports local news in Rappahannock County.
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