The Prince William County School Board has formally asked Dominion Energy to avoid routing a proposed high-voltage power line across school property near Patriot High School and T. Clay Wood Elementary School.
Key Takeaways
- Date, Time, Place: January 22, 2026; Prince William County; correspondence sent to Dominion Energy in Richmond
- What happened: The School Board sent a letter opposing any transmission line route that would cross school-owned property at the Patriot High School campus
- Why it matters: One proposed route could place a 230-kilovolt power line near two public schools, raising safety and land-use concerns
- Who drove the news: Wade T. Anderson, Division Counsel for Prince William County Public Schools
Full Coverage
In a letter dated January 22, 2026, Prince William County Public Schools Division Counsel Wade T. Anderson outlined the School Board’s concerns about Dominion Energy’s proposed Nokesville-to-Bristow 230-kilovolt electric transmission line project.
Dominion Energy has said it is studying three potential routes for the approximately 6.5-mile transmission line, which would connect the existing Nokesville electric substation to a proposed Bristow switching station in Prince William County. One of those options, commonly referred to as the “blue route,” could require the utility to cross School Board-owned property.
The school property, located at 10504 Kettle Run Road, includes both Patriot High School and T. Clay Wood Elementary School. Anderson noted that the site is already affected by two major utility easements.
In the letter, Anderson cited the Virginia Department of Education’s 2021 Guidelines for School Facilities in Virginia’s Public Schools, which state that the location of schools near electric transmission lines or other environmental hazards should be avoided.
“The School Board respectfully requests that Dominion select a route, whether overhead or underground, which avoids any use of the school site,” Anderson wrote.
The letter also raises concerns about the potential impacts of underground construction. Anderson said the School Board would be particularly concerned about the scope and safety of excavation work needed to install an underground high-voltage line between existing easements on the property.
Dominion has not formally asked the School Board to grant access to the school site. The company is still evaluating route options and has not yet filed an application with the Virginia State Corporation Commission, which must approve transmission line projects.
County government officials have previously asked Dominion to study whether some or all of the transmission line could be placed underground, a request that could delay the company’s final route selection.
The School Board asked Dominion Energy to give “serious consideration” to its position as the company moves forward with routing decisions for the project.
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This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Potomac Local News editors for accuracy and clarity.
