We analyze ten years of outage data to determine which overhead distribution lines throughout our Virginia service area have historically sustained the most damage and repairs. As areas and neighborhoods are identified, a project team will begin a comprehensive outreach process to work cooperatively with property owners and neighborhoods on a plan to underground portions of the line. We will work in each region of our service area simultaneously. Learn more by watching this short video.
What type of overhead power lines would be replaced under this program?
As an overview of our system, high-voltage power lines carry electricity from power stations to substations, and distribution lines deliver the electricity to our customers. The largest of the distribution lines - primary or main feeder lines - carry power from substations to neighborhoods. Tap lines then bring electricity into neighborhoods - to homes and businesses. Only selected tap lines - those deemed most outage-prone - would be placed underground.
What would the cost be to customers?
There are no direct construction costs for customers who are part of a Strategic Underground project, but it is a Dominion Energy program which all of our customers are funding and benefiting. By placing the lines underground, we're able to restore power more quickly for all customers after a major storm event. Funding for this program comes from a special rate adjustment called a rider, which is approved by the State Corporation Commission (SCC).
View this brief video to see how the program is funded.
Will work for this Program be done by Dominion Energy employees?
Because the Strategic Underground Program is extensively spread throughout our service area, both Dominion Energy and contract employees will be involved in all aspects of the Strategic Underground Program – including project management, design, right of way, communications, and installation/removal of equipment. Each project has a dedicated Dominion Energy point of contact. View a list of authorized contractors working on Strategic Underground projects. Also, view this video to learn more.
My neighborhood has underground utilities. Would the monthly increase on power bills apply to customers in my neighborhood, as well as those already served by overhead lines?
Yes. The undergrounding program will improve reliability of the system and shorten the time for restoring service to all affected customers following a major storm. As a result, a rider would affect monthly bills of all residential and small commercial customers.
If my neighborhood and home are chosen for undergrounding, how long would actual construction work last? How long would I lose electric service while work is in progress?
The time required will vary among projects. Property owners and neighborhood organizations would be advised what to expect as a project is planned. There will be a planned outage associated with the work in order to make the necessary connections. Property owners would be notified in advance of a scheduled outage. An outage to make the final conversion from overhead service to underground would typically be four hours or less. View this video to learn more.
Will there still be outages during major storms?
Yes. Much of Dominion Energy’s system will remain above ground and subject to extreme weather such as high winds and ice storms, so outages could occur. But when this program to underground selected tap lines is implemented, there will be fewer lines to fix and fewer repairs to make on a house-by-house basis. Thus, it would take much less time to restore service to our customers. View this video to learn more.
What makes some power lines more prone to outages than other lines?
Some neighborhoods have a heavy canopy of trees lining them, as trees have grown and matured after power lines were installed. Although tree branches near power lines are trimmed, large branches and tree trunks could still fall on the lines during extreme weather.
What if a customer doesn't want Dominion Energy to have access to his or her yard?
Dominion Energy will work cooperatively with property owners to obtain the rights necessary to perform the work. Property owners along a tap line would have to agree on a plan before it could be implemented. Learn more about an easement agreement and view this video for more information.
Will customers be compensated for granting an easement?
Dominion Energy does not compensate for the easements required for the Strategic Underground Program. The Program is voluntary and customers can signal their support of the project by signing an easement. If we are not able to secure the necessary easements, we will look for other engineering solutions (viable routes).
When converting overhead service, will new equipment be needed?
A project team will meet with you to discuss the proposed project plan and layout. Some equipment will be needed, examples of equipment can be found here.
Underground lines come into the ground-level padmount transformer from below, where connections are kept safely inside and out of view. The location of each padmount transformer is ultimately determined by the electric load calculations and the route of the underground lines. View this brief video to learn more about the above ground equipment used to serve an underground system.
In some cases, we will adapt the meter base at the customer’s home to accept cables from underground, using a meter base adapter. Learn more about the meter base adapter.
Will electrical service to existing streetlights remain in place?
The focus of Dominion Energy's Strategic Underground Program is to convert the overhead electric power lines that serve an area or neighborhood, in addition to converting the line that serves your individual home or other existing electrical services (garage, streetlight, watchlight, etc).
Dominion Energy will maintain the electrical service to existing structures (i.e. streetlights, watch lights, garages) and will feed them from a new underground source.
Would this program involve digging up a lot of trees in customers' yards?
Dominion Energy plans to use directional drilling rather than open trenching, to minimize disruption to landscaping. We will work with property owners as we determine the acceptable routing for underground lines
Will the poles be removed?
Some of our telecommunications partners also own poles that other utilities, including Dominion Energy, may attach to. When the overhead electric lines are converted to underground but the telecommunications facilities are not, the poles would remain in place. If this is the case, Dominion Energy would no longer have electric wire or equipment on the pole so the remaining service providers would maintain the pole and their lines.
Dominion Energy will work with telecommunications and cable companies to explore the option to place their lines underground at the same time of our installation. Each project will be evaluated separately by the telecommunications and cable companies. The Dominion Energy point of contact for your project can provide details regarding the status of the poles for each project area.
Some neighborhoods have a heavy canopy of trees lining them, as trees have grown and matured after power lines were installed. Although tree branches near power lines are trimmed, large branches and tree trunks could still fall on the lines during extreme weather.
