Dominion Energy plans to build an 8.3 to 9.8-mile double-circuit line operating at 500 kV and 230 kV, connecting the Golden substation near Waxpool Road and Sully Road to the Mars substation near Old Ox Road and West Perimeter Road. This line will complete a loop that includes two other segments: Wishing Star-to-Mars and Aspen-to-Golden. The routes included in the application would bring 185-foot transmission towers within as little as 100 ft of residences and public schools.

The 6 overhead routes proposed by Dominion Energy can be viewed here: https://northernvaprojects.com/#close (filter: Loudoun County and Golden to Mars)

Dominion has filed their application with the SCC (State Corporation Commission) proposing six high-voltage overhead transmission line route options that would bring 185-foot transmission towers within as little as 100 ft of residences and public schools.

Dominion Energy conducted an underground feasibility study, filed with their SCC application, concluding that none of the routes were constructible due to various constraints. Loudoun County has identified solutions to these constraints and hired engineers to develop viable alternatives based on Dominion’s study. The proposed route, partially underground to avoid homes and schools, will be submitted to the SCC for review. Strong public support is essential to ensure the alternative receives fair consideration.

The Golden to Mars electric transmission line project is approved by the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC), which has regulatory authority over all energy providers in Virginia. While Loudoun County government and its residents can participate in the SCC's review process, they do not have formal approval power for the project's routes. 

The key steps in the SCC's approval process include:

• Application filing: On March 28, 2025, Dominion Energy filed its application with the SCC for approval and certification of the Golden to Mars transmission lines (Case number PUR-2025-00056).

• Case review: The SCC reviews the application, including the proposed routes and potential environmental and scenic impacts. Loudoun County filed a "notice of participation" in May 2025, which allows it to provide input to the SCC during this review.

• Public hearings: As part of its review, the SCC holds public hearings to gather testimony from local officials, organizations, and residents. The SCC has scheduled multiple hearings for the Golden to Mars project:

  • September 18 and 29, 2025: In-person public hearings at Rock Ridge H.S.

  • December 15, 2025: A public witness hearing by telephone.

• Evidentiary hearing: A formal evidentiary hearing for the case will begin on December 15, 2025 in Richmond, VA. The hearing is open to the public.

• Final order and approval: After reviewing all evidence, the SCC is expected to issue a Final Order on the project in the first quarter of 2026.

Our goal is to increase public awareness and encourage residents to submit comments to the SCC to keep high-voltage powerlines out of our neighborhoods and to support undergrounding.

Ongoing proceedings through the SCC—including two public hearings: September 18 and September 29 at Rock Ridge H.S.—will shape whether the approved route is overhead or partially undergrounded, based on technical feasibility and public input.

You can help in the following ways:

1. Write the SCC and make your feelings about the Golden to Mars Transmission Line Project be known to the SCC. You can view instructions and sample text here.

2. Attend both SCC public hearings that are to take place on Sept 18 and Sept 29 at Rock Ridge High School.

3. Spread the word to friends and neighbors. Volunteer within your community to assist with canvassing efforts.

 Yes, we would like you to submit your comments as soon as possible for the greatest impact. Visit SCC Comments page for information on how to submit and sample comments.

Yes, more than one person per household can submit a comment to the State Corporation Commission (SCC) regarding the Golden to Mars project. The SCC's public comment process is open to all individuals, and it does not limit the number of comments based on address or household.

An effective comment to the State Corporation Commission (SCC) should be concise, professional, and focus on the specific impacts of the Golden to Mars transmission line project on you and your community.  See SCC Comments samples here for suggested key points and text.

Comments submitted to the State Corporation Commission (SCC), whether written or given verbally at a public hearing, are read and reviewed by SCC case staff and the commissioners. This information becomes part of the official case record that informs the final decision.

At a public hearing held by the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC), citizens who are not formal parties in a case have the opportunity to make their concerns known directly to the commission. The hearing is an official proceeding and part of the formal case record, where commissioners or a hearing examiner receive and record testimony. 

For more detailed information, please view the Public Witness Tips.

For the Golden to Mars transmission line project, attending the public hearings is a key way to make your voice heard by the State Corporation Commission (SCC). Attending one hearing is sufficient to have your comments entered into the case record. You may only speak at one hearing. However, a large, visible public turnout at both hearings signals to the SCC the broad and sustained community interest and concern regarding the project. This can be influential, as the SCC considers public input when making its final decision.

Yes! A large, visible public turnout signals to the SCC the broad and sustained community interest and concern regarding the project. This can be influential, as the SCC considers public input when making its final decision.

The Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) is an independent state agency established by the Virginia Constitution with regulatory authority over a wide range of business and economic interests in the commonwealth. Created in 1902, the SCC has a unique structure, exercising administrative, legislative, and judicial powers.

It regulates Virginia's investor-owned utilities for electric, natural gas, water, and sewer services, as well as member-owned electric cooperatives. This includes approving rates and monitoring utility projects. The SCC will decide which route will be built by Dominion Energy.

According to the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) rules of practice, any person or entity may file a notice of participation to become a formal party in a case. This allows the party to actively participate in the regulatory process, as opposed to simply submitting public comments.

For example, Loudoun County filed a notice of participation to join the case concerning Dominion Energy's Golden to Mars transmission line project. By doing so, the county could formally submit testimony and analysis and cross-examine witnesses from Dominion and other parties.

For the Golden to Mars transmission line case (Case No. PUR-2025-00056), the deadline for filing a notice of participation is September 9, 2025.

Several of the Golden to Mars proposed routes are near school-owned property. As Loudoun County is actively engaged with engineers to find alternatives to keep overhead lines away from homes and schools it is important the Loudoun County School Board is able to actively participate.

For the Golden to Mars transmission line project, Dominion Energy proposed five different routes in their March 2025 filing and then added a variation to one of the routes in May 2025 for a total of six.  The decision on which route will ultimately be built rests with the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC).

No, none of the routes proposed by Dominion Energy completely avoid residential areas. All of the options presented in the application to the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) would impact homes to some degree.

No, Dominion Energy has not proposed any underground routes near residential areas for the Golden to Mars transmission line project. In its application to the State Corporation Commission (SCC), Dominion has only put forth above-ground options, stating that burying the high-voltage lines is not a viable option. 

Loudoun County government's position on Dominion's Golden to Mars proposal is a mix of endorsing a specific route while strongly advocating for burial of the power lines near residential and school areas. The county's stance is outlined through formal participation in the State Corporation Commission (SCC) case and public statements from the Board of Supervisors. They have also engaged an engineering firm to submit an alternative route proposal to the SCC that would include undergrounding to avoid homes and schools.

The County is actively engaged with an engineering firm to identify and prepare alternative route proposals to submit to the SCC. This proposal would include undergrounding to avoid homes and schools.