Those opposed to the Joshua Falls-Yeat Transmission Line Project are mounting their next offense–this time in Richardsville.
A meeting has been organized by several residents for Thursday evening, April 2, at the Richardsville Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad. The topic of the night will be consolidating a response to speak out against the proposed Yeat substation. The substation is part of the Joshua Falls-Yeat Transmission project and would represent the culminating point in the proposed 765kV line from Campbell County to Culpeper County.
Initially, the Yeat substation was planned for Fauquier County, but at last month’s meeting, Dominion Energy’s Adam McGuire said that changed as the routing process began. McGuire said the northern piece of the project was found to have the largest impact on homes which is why the substation was moved to Culpeper. He said that switch had no impact on the routes in Orange County. He also noted that the line through Fauquier would have necessitated the taking of homes, which he said Dominion doesn’t do.
According to a reliability analysis update presented to PJM Interconnection’s Transmission Expansion Advisory Committee (TEAC) in early February, Valley Link is evaluating options for relocating the Yeat substation due to several drivers–consideration of additional options before finalizing substation location; potential enhancement to schedule certainty to meet project’s in-service date; consider options to reduce new 765kV line mileage and associated cost/value benefits; and reduce potential residential, environmental, cultural and historic impacts. The update stated that Valley Link would finalize the location following an investigation of the options with PJM then performing the required reliability studies. A change in scope, if any, would be brought forward at a future meeting.
Placing Valley Link’s routing map side by side with Culpeper County’s GIS, the Yeat substation appears to be planned for a 306.32 acre, A-1 Agricultural zoned parcel off Eleys Ford Road. County land records list the property as being owned by Pardee Timber, a West Virginia based subsidiary of Pardee Resources Company. The Philadelphia headquartered natural resources, energy management and investment company owns and manages natural resource properties spanning 15 states from New York to California.
At last month’s meeting in Orange County, McGuire said the Culpeper location is favorable because it is surrounded by timberland, giving the ability to create strong buffers and keep the development away from residences.
Under the Culpeper County Zoning Ordinance, public utilities, utility power generation and storage facilities all require a conditional use permit in A-1 zoned areas. The process by which to obtain the use permit includes public hearings at both the planning commission and board of supervisors levels. No application has been submitted.
During the meeting Thursday, Culpeper Stevensburg District Supervisor DeWayne Payne will be present to answer questions. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1271463664911901/.
Meanwhile, more than 360 comments were submitted to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) regarding PJM’s Feb. 27 proposal to expedite interconnection studies of new power generation that meet certain requirements. According to PJM, the idea is to provide an alternate path for advanced projects of significant size to get connected quickly to address the need for greater capacity. Under the fast track option, projects would take 10 months to be awarded a connection agreement, decreased from the current years-long process. The project would have to offer at least 250MW of “accredited unforced capacity” and be able to be in operation within three years. Up to 10 projects would be chosen for the fast track process per year over two years. Approval of the filing is requested by May 28, becoming effective July 31.
The expedited process would allow projects like the Joshua Falls-Yeat Transmission Line Project to have its approval process timeline decreased.
The public comment period for the application ended March 20. The commission’s next open meeting is scheduled for April 16 at 10 a.m. For more information, visit https://www.ferc.gov/news-events/events/april-16-2026-open-meeting-10082025.
For more information regarding the Joshua Falls-Yeat Transmission Line Project, visit https://vltransmission.com/joshua-falls-to-yeat/.
