Dominion plans Peninsula transmission line

Dominion Virginia Power is planning transmission upgrades across the Peninsula to handle increasing customer demand and address the need to move power from other parts of its system after it closes its Yorktown power plant.

The project, if approved by state regulators, would add a 500-kilovolt transmission line between Dominion substations in Charles City and James City counties and a 230-kilovolt line between James City County and Hampton. The new transmission capacity would enhance existing lines through those areas, where the company has decided it needs more capacity to handle growing usage.

The new lines would be in place by 2014 and would travel along existing rights-of-way that Dominion uses for power lines or has acquired for development.

Such transmission lines carry electricity from power plants to substations. From there, it travels on lower-voltage lines to neighborhoods.

Dominion plans to submit its proposal to the State Corporation Commission in February and to host public meetings to explain the project next month. The company hasn't yet finalized the cost but estimates it in a range between $150 million and $250 million, said Stephenie Harrington, its communications manager for electric transmission projects.

In a regulatory filing in September, Dominion announced plans to close one of two coal-fired generators in Yorktown and its coal plant in Chesapeake because the costs to adapt them to meet new environmental standards is too high.

The Chesapeake Energy Center would close in 2016 and that part of the Yorktown Power Station in 2015.

Dominion also is working on a plan for upgrading the transmission system in South Hampton Roads for moving power from farther away once the Chesapeake plant closes, Harrington said. More details about that project should be available early next year, she said.

Carolyn Shapiro, (757) 446-2270, carolyn.shapiro@pilotonline.com