Loudoun County is being joined by the Lansdowne Conservancy in asking the Virginia Supreme Court to review the State Corporation Commission’s (SCC) approval of Dominion Energy’s Aspen to Golden transmission line project. At the same time, the county encourages the public to participate in upcoming hearings on another proposed transmission line project, Dominion Energy’s Golden to Mars project.
Aspen to Golden Project
The Aspen to Golden project, which was approved by the SCC in February 2025, includes a new 500/230 kilovolt (kV) above-ground electric transmission line and two substations in the Ashburn area. Loudoun County participated in the case (PDF) and advocated for placing a portion of the lines underground. In March 2025, Loudoun County and the Lansdowne Conservancy filed separate appeals of the SCC’s ruling to the Virginia Supreme Court. The county and the conservancy are now working on a joint appeal.
“A joint appeal is mutually beneficial because it allows the county and Lansdowne Conservancy to coordinate our arguments for maximum effectiveness,” said County Attorney Leo P. Rogers.
Golden to Mars Project
The Golden to Mars project is an active application before the SCC, which includes 500/230-kV Golden to Mars transmission lines and the Lockridge and Sojourner 230 kV loops and related projects. In May 2025, Loudoun County filed a “notice of participation” in Dominion Energy’s application to the SCC, which allows the county to join the case and to provide input and testimony on the proposed power project during the review process.
Loudoun County encourages members of the public who wish to provide input on the project to attend one of two upcoming public hearings that the SCC will be holding in Loudoun County on the project. The hearings will be held September 18 and 29, 2025, at Rock Ridge High School, 43460 Loudoun Reserve Drive, Ashburn, beginning at 6:30 p.m. More information, including other ways to submit comments, are available on the SCC website.
Transmission Lines in Loudoun County/Related Updates to Comprehensive Plan
The SCC has regulatory authority over electric utilities in Virginia and is the governing body that approves high-voltage transmission line projects prior to construction. Loudoun County has no formal role in the approval process for transmission lines, but the county does closely monitor proposals for transmission lines proposed for construction within the county and encourages members of the community to stay informed about active applications and opportunities for public participation in the SCC cases. Land use planners in the Department of Planning & Zoning review all transmission line applications submitted to the SCC for consistency with the County’s Comprehensive Plan and environmental protection initiatives and forward comments to the SCC on the respective applications.
Loudoun County is actively working to improve the county’s ability to influence and guide the location, development, and management of high-voltage transmission corridors and electrical infrastructure with proposed amendments to the Loudoun County 2019 Comprehensive Plan. More information about the Electrical Infrastructure Comprehensive Plan Amendment project is online at loudoun.gov/ElectricalCPAM.
More information about transmission line projects affecting Loudoun County can be found at loudoun.gov/TransmissionLines.
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