Virginia homeowner battles massive power pole planned for data-center corridor

Vicky, who has lived in Loudoun County, Virginia for more than twenty years, started opposing a Dominion Energy project in June after a phone call revealed plans for a 50-meter steel transmission tower on her yard. The pole would be taller than the Statue of Liberty’s pedestal and six times higher than nearby homes, sparking concerns about noise, visual impact, and a doubled electricity bill over five years. Vicky and other residents demand that the line be placed over commercial property, noting that Amazon declined to host part of the infrastructure on its own land.

Although local officials approved the residential route, the homeowners offered land to a nearby school to force a reroute, but the change was deemed too late. The school has appealed to the state supreme court, leaving the dispute unresolved as the data-center boom becomes a hot issue ahead of the November midterm elections.