FirstEnergy to Hold Community Meeting on 500KV Power Line Plan

FirstEnergy will host its first community meeting tomorrow in Lovettsville to provide information about the 500-kilovolt transmission line it is proposing to build along existing rights-of-way through northern Loudoun.

The Gore-Doubs-Goose Creek Improvements Project was supported by regional power coordinators to help provide regional grid reliability. It is expected to be built along 44 miles of existing rights of way between Frederick County and Jefferson County, WV, crossing through Loudoun and Clarke counties. The proposal would upgrade an existing single 138-kV line to create double-circuit 500-kV and 138-kV lines.

FirstEnergy plans to file applications for the line with the State Corporation Commission and its West Virginia equivalent this fall, with construction expected to begin in 2027.  

Plans for the improvement are to “primarily utilize existing rights-of-way” but residents whose properties are already crossed by transmissions lines have said they are concerned it will impact more of their land.

“In some limited areas, the rights-of-way may need to be expanded to establish required clearances around the transmission lines. Potomac Edison will contact landowners directly to discuss the additional easements required as well as temporary rights necessary to facilitate construction such as access routes, tree clearing and laydown yards,” according to project information by FirstEnergy.

The project was originally proposed by NextEra Energy and would have been entirely along new rights-of-way through the heart of western Loudoun, taking a more direct path to a substation south of Leesburg.

However, public opposition led to the company withdrawing its plans, which were then adapted by FirstEnergy, which proposed running the line through the existing rights-of-way.

The meeting will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Lovettsville Volunteer Fire Hall at 12837 Berlin Turnpike.