PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 17, 2026
Culpeper County Board Votes 6-1 to Oppose Valley Link 765 kV Transmission Line and Yeat Substation
CULPEPER, VA —The Culpeper County Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution formally opposing the proposed Valley Link “Joshua Falls to Yeat" 765-kilovolt overhead transmission line and associated Yeat substation planned in Richardsville, Culpeper County. Approved on April 7, 2026, by a 6-1 vote, the resolution takes effect immediately
The Board has heard the concerns voiced by the rural communities along the proposed route that would bear disproportionate visual, environmental, and economic harm. The project would cause damage to farms and forestland, reduce property values, and disrupt the county's rural character, while most of the project's benefits would serve rapidly growing energy demand from data centers in Northern Virginia and, according to Valley Link, the energy needs of the greater Mid-Atlantic. The Board also shares concerns regarding the potential use of eminent domain and possible health effects from ultra-high-voltage lines located near homes.
To protect Culpeper residents, the Board directs County staff to seek formal participation in State Corporation Commission proceedings on the project and engage with relevant federal regulators. The resolution further calls for Valley Link to consider technically feasible alternatives, including underground transmission, and instructs that certified copies be transmitted to state and federal officials, Valley Link and its partners, and neighboring localities.
Culpeper County's 2023 Comprehensive Plan Chapter 7 Utilities states "The development of future electrical transmission lines should be limited while meeting electrical demands of the County. Expansion within existing transmission line corridors must be the first option pursued." Over the coming months, the Board will be evaluating a Comprehensive Plan amendment to reinforce using the existing rights-of-way and undergrounding of transmission lines, and to engage with other affected counties to develop a unified regional opposition strategy.
The Board looks forward to further feedback and engagement from residents on this matter. A copy of the adopted resolution is attached for reference.