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A major infrastructure upgrade is coming to our area, and it’s important for all residents to be informed.

 

In the coming year, Dominion Energy will undertake a nationally regulated capital project to significantly upgrade the transmission power lines that run through our community. This project, essential for maintaining the reliability of high-voltage electric transmission across the region, will involve the reconstruction of existing lines between Dominion's Fredericksburg and Possum Point substations, including the substation in our community.

 

These transmission lines, which span the City of Fredericksburg, Stafford County, and Prince William County, are crucial for carrying electricity over long distances. Importantly, this project will not impact the distribution lines that deliver power directly to your homes, so your household electricity supply will remain unaffected during the work.

 

As part of the upgrade, Dominion Energy has identified the need to reclaim their transmission right of way, particularly in the areas between Brent Park and the Stables along Aquia Drive. After conducting a survey, they found several unauthorized structures within the easement that must be relocated to facilitate the project.

 

But what exactly is an easement? In simple terms, an easement is a legal right that allows someone to use another person's land for a specific purpose. In this case, Dominion Energy holds an easement on certain properties in our community, granting them the right to maintain and upgrade the transmission power lines. This means they can access and use certain areas of your property as needed to carry out the necessary work.

 

Several areas within our community will be impacted by this project, including:

• Some community members should be receiving in the mail a Dominion Notice of Survey Activity. This is notification that survey activity will take place in the transmission corridor. Property owners who live within 1,000 feet of the edge of the right of way/easement will receive this along the entire corridor.
• Community Garden: The shed and compost piles will need to be removed or relocated.
• Dog Park: The structure and portable toilets near the park will also need to be moved.
• Stables: The paddock shade structures will be relocated to their original, pre-authorized locations within the paddocks. While these structures were initially authorized by Dominion, they were moved during a replacement process. Dominion has approved their relocation.
• Fences: Any fences within the easement will be temporarily removed during the project. Dominion Energy will handle the removal and replacement of these fences at their expense.
• Future Work: Looking ahead to next year, the project will involve extensive tree removal along the easement and the replacement or relocation of the transmission towers and lines.

The Property Owners Association (POA) is committed to facilitating communication between Dominion Energy and our residents. To ensure everyone is fully informed, we will be hosting a town hall meeting on Thursday, August 29, at 6:00 PM at the Harbour Inn, located at 1417 Washington Drive. Representatives from Dominion Energy will be present to answer any questions or concerns.

 

For more detailed information about the project, residents are encouraged to visit Dominion Energy's project page. Additionally, we invite you to submit any questions or concerns in advance of the town hall so they can be addressed during the discussion to ahpoa@aquiaharbour.org. If you are unable to attend the meeting, you can still send your questions or comments directly to the POA, and we will ensure they are conveyed to Dominion Energy. We will record all questions, comments, and answers and share them with the community afterward.

 

This is an important infrastructure upgrade, and we appreciate your cooperation and understanding as Dominion Energy works to enhance the reliability of our region’s power supply.