StopPATH WV
  • News
  • StopPATH WV Blog
  • FAQ
  • Events
  • Fundraisers
  • Make a Donation
  • Landowner Resources
  • About PATH
  • Get Involved
  • Commercials
  • Links
  • About Us
  • Contact

Dominion's Mt. Storm - Doubs Rebuild

11/8/2010

3 Comments

 
Lots of folks have received letters or phone calls from Dominion Power or their consultants recently regarding a proposed rebuild of the Mt. Storm - Doubs 500kV line.  In response to your questions, all we can say right now is that we're still investigating.

If you are looking for more information to form your own opinion about what's going on, here are a couple of things I've dug up for your perusal:

Dominion's website with more information about the project.  Contains maps, "fact" sheet, FAQ, project timeline and specs.

We first saw this project mentioned as "Alternative 1" in Dominion's PATH alternative proposal presented to PJM in May of this year.  Unfortunately, this rebuild was also included in Alternatives 2, 3 and 4, which also contain some portion of PATH being built, including PATH in its entirety.  See this link for the latest PJM TEAC document.  The first few pages discuss the project and show some shocking pictures of deterioration of the tower structures.  Of course, power companies and propaganda go together like peanut butter and jelly, so keep that in mind.  Read Page 15 carefully for a few clues before you become a cheerleader for this project, thinking it's going to solve all your problems with PATH:  "Window of opportunity to get line outages after Trail is placed in service in the Spring of 2011
Transmission owners should use best efforts to complete the work by 2015
– If sufficient outages can not be obtained to complete the work by 2015, the full scope will be finished following PATH being placed in-service.
– After completion of PATH, outages should be more available
– Based on worst case estimate, the project could take as long as nine years; therefore it is imperative the parties start as soon as possible"

See also Dominion's Q3 2010 Earnings Call, which contains this quote:

"Also, yesterday, PJM announced its intention to recommend to the PJM Board the reconductoring of our Mt. Storm-to-Doubs line as part of the 2010 Regional Transmission Expansion Plan. We anticipate formal PJM approval in December, in line with our expectations since we first announced this project at our May financial conference."

The Earnings Calls are famous sources for fat cat executives posturing for their investors, so take that with a grain of salt as well.

If you're really curious, come to one of the "Open House" meetings to be held in Winchester and Lovettsville next week.  Although these "Open Houses" are supposed to be for Virginia residents, with similar ones for West Virginia residents to be held early next year, we encourage you to attend and ask as many questions as your patience will allow.  I almost feel sorry for the Dominion guys after PATH has made such a mess of their relationship with the public.  Remember, these guys aren't responsible for PATH, although they are responsible for TrAIL, so give everything the "sniff test", but be polite.

November 16, 5:00 - 7:30 PM - James Wood High School cafeteria, 161 Apple Pie Ridge Road, Winchester, VA 22603

November 17, 5:00 - 7:30 PM - Lovettsville Community Center, 57 East Broad Way, Lovettsville, VA 20180
3 Comments
PowerMAD
11/8/2010 07:30:38 pm

Here's just a sampling of the questions this proposal brings to mind:

(1) PATH has proposed "rebuilding" portions of this very same 500-kV line in its application; would Dominion's project remove that requirement, or would ratepayers wind up paying for it twice?

(2) What impact will this have on PATH's claims of "need?"

(3) Following up on the previous question, will the SCC hearing examiner require PATH to recalculate its "need" assessments to take into account a rebuilt, more efficient Mt. Storm-Doubs line?

(4) Since this line passes through the same three states as PATH, will this proposal also affect PATH's applications in Maryland and West Virginia?

I'm sure folks can come up with questions of their own ...

Reply
?
11/8/2010 08:26:36 pm

honor among thieves?

Reply
$
11/9/2010 12:42:37 am

Who's paying for this? You can bet it's not Dominion.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    About the Author

    Keryn Newman blogs here at StopPATH WV about energy issues, transmission policy, misguided regulation, our greedy energy companies and their corporate spin.
    In 2008, AEP & Allegheny Energy's PATH joint venture used their transmission line routing etch-a-sketch to draw a 765kV line across the street from her house. Oooops! And the rest is history.

    About
    StopPATH Blog

    StopPATH Blog began as a forum for information and opinion about the PATH transmission project.  The PATH project was abandoned in 2012, however, this blog was not.

    StopPATH Blog continues to bring you energy policy news and opinion from a consumer's point of view.  If it's sometimes snarky and oftentimes irreverent, just remember that the truth isn't pretty.  People come here because they want the truth, instead of the usual dreadful lies this industry continues to tell itself.  If you keep reading, I'll keep writing.


    Need help opposing unneeded transmission?
    Email me


    Search This Site

    Got something to say?  Submit your own opinion for publication.

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    June 2025
    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010
    January 2010

    Categories

    All
    $$$$$$
    2023 PJM Transmission
    Aep Vs Firstenergy
    Arkansas
    Best Practices
    Best Practices
    Big Winds Big Lie
    Can Of Worms
    Carolinas
    Citizen Action
    Colorado
    Corporate Propaganda
    Data Centers
    Democracy Failures
    DOE Failure
    Emf
    Eminent Domain
    Events
    Ferc Action
    FERC Incentives Part Deux
    Ferc Transmission Noi
    Firstenergy Failure
    Good Ideas
    Illinois
    Iowa
    Kansas
    Land Agents
    Legislative Action
    Marketing To Mayberry
    MARL
    Missouri
    Mtstorm Doubs Rebuild
    Mtstormdoubs Rebuild
    New Jersey
    New Mexico
    Newslinks
    NIETC
    Opinion
    Path Alternatives
    Path Failures
    Path Intimidation Attempts
    Pay To Play
    Potomac Edison Investigation
    Power Company Propaganda
    Psc Failure
    Rates
    Regulatory Capture
    Skelly Fail
    The Pjm Cartel
    Top Ten Clean Line Mistakes
    Transource
    Valley Link Transmission
    Washington
    West Virginia
    Wind Catcher
    Wisconsin

Copyright 2010 StopPATH WV, Inc.