Dominion Energy has invested $18.02 million in reliability projects across Alexandria from 2022 through the first quarter of 2025, completing 37 projects that have benefited 56,792 customers, External Affairs Representative Gaston Araoz told the Alexandria City Council Tuesday night.
The utility company serves 62,500 residential customers, 5,600 commercial customers, 440 governmental customers, and two industrial customers in Alexandria, according to Araoz’s presentation to the council.
“Dominion Energy is committed to safely providing reliable, affordable, and increasingly clean energy,” Araoz said. “We are excited to share some key details about your community.”
The company’s investments included underground switch replacements, automation schemes, overhead line upgrades, and overhead-to-underground conversions designed to improve service reliability.
Araoz summarized the three-year investment period, noting “$18.02M total [invested], 56,792 customers impacted (some customers double counted due to multiple projects providing benefit) 37 projects completed.”
In 2022, Dominion Energy invested $5.59 million in 27 projects affecting 24,014 customers. The work included 15 proactive underground switch replacements, seven automation schemes, one project to replace 1.5 miles of underground cable, three overhead line upgrades, and one overhead-to-underground conversion.
The following year brought $7.81 million in investments across seven projects affecting 14,615 customers. These projects included one automation scheme, creation of a new circuit tie, four overhead line upgrades, and improvements to the North Alexandria Substation with two new circuits completed in 2024.
From 2024 through the first quarter of 2025, the company invested $4.62 million in three projects impacting 18,163 customers. This work included one overhead line upgrade, two overhead-to-underground conversions, and continued North Alexandria Substation improvements.
Looking ahead, Araoz outlined the company’s future plans: “$11.3M additional investments, seven projects planned: two proactive UG switch replacements, one automation scheme, two overhead line upgrades, two North Alex Substation upgrades: new transformer and new circuit.”
Major transmission project update
Araoz also provided updates on the Glebe Electric Transmission Project, a major infrastructure initiative affecting Alexandria. The project involves rebuilding and modernizing the Glebe Substation in Arlington County, converting an existing overhead electric transmission line to underground between the Glebe Substation and Potomac Yard Transition Station, and decommissioning the Potomac Yard Transition Station in Alexandria.
“About 80% of work is completed within Alexandria,” Araoz said of the Glebe project. “It will still be active for the next two years as we are only able to transfer one line at a time so we can maintain the grid reliability (total of eight lines).”
The Glebe Substation, built in the 1970s, is reaching the end of its service life, necessitating the modernization work. The project involves transferring a total of eight lines, which must be done gradually to maintain grid reliability.
Regional transmission expansion
Araoz outlined several major transmission projects planned across Northern Virginia to support the region’s growing energy demands, particularly in “Data Center Alley” in Loudoun County.
The projects include the Apollo-Twin Creeks project, part of the Loudoun Reliability 500 kV Loop, which will create a new 230 kV line with approximately two miles of new right of way connecting to five new substations. The State Corporation Commission filing for this project occurred on March 27, 2024.
The Aviator-Takeoff project in Fairfax and Loudoun counties received SCC approval in March 2025 and involves a new Takeoff Substation with a new 230 kV line through 3.2 miles of new right of way. Construction is targeted to begin in late 2026.
The Morrisville-Wishing Star project spans Fauquier, Prince William, and Loudoun counties and received SCC approval in April 2023. Currently under construction, this project targets a Dec. 31, 2025, energization date and includes a new 500 kV line along 36.5 miles of existing right of way plus a new 230 kV line in Fauquier County.
All transmission projects aim to improve area reliability by allowing bulk energy transfer to meet the growing energy needs of Northern Virginia’s expanding data center industry.
Members of the Alexandria City Council did have several questions for Araoz regarding recent outages, reliability, and rates. In most cases, Araoz promised to follow up with the council.
The presentation can be seen below.
