After bills passed, NoVa lawmakers urge SCC to consider burying transmission lines
Virginia mercury: After bills passed, NoVa lawmakers urge SCC to consider burying transmission lines
By Shannon Heckt - March 24, 2026
Two legislators representing a sprawling county in the northern region of the commonwealth asked the State Corporation Commission last week to consider burying high-voltage transmission lines, after bills that would initiate a pilot program for the proposed lines passed the General Assembly.
Ashburn residents in Loudoun County are waiting for state regulators’ final decision on which route will be used for the 500 kilovolt transmission lines in the project, dubbed Golden to Mars.
Democratic state Sen. Kannan Srinivasan and Del. JJ Singh, who both represent Loudoun, submitted testimony in the original Golden to Mars SCC hearing. In their most recent letter, they acknowledged the lines are necessary for energy reliability, but said community health, safety and quality of life should be prioritized — a goal they think could be accomplished by burying the lines.
“The legislation passed by the General Assembly reflects the General Assembly’s recognition that innovative approaches—including hybrid solutions that incorporate underground transmission where feasible—should be seriously considered when evaluating projects of this magnitude,” the letter read.