Members of the Save Braemar Coalition and other Bristow residents will gather this evening for a rally in opposition to Dominion Energy's proposed expansion to the Vint Hill Substation.
Residents oppose transforming the station into a gas-insulated electrical substation, or "GIS," that would install new technology that utilizes sulfur hexafluoride or SF6.
That change would require the Prince William Board of County Supervisors to provide Dominion Energy with a special use permit. In January, the hearing for the SUP was deferred until spring of 2026. It is now on the agenda for June 23 at 7 p.m.
Coalition members would like to see the board deny the SUP.
The rally is scheduled for Monday, May 4 at 6:30 p.m., outside the Iona Sound Clubhouse, at 12300 Iona Sound Drive in Bristow. The rally precedes a private Braemar HOA community meeting, in which representatives from Dominion Energy will present information on the substation and answer residents' questions.
Supporters are invited to participate in the rally. However, non-Braemar residents will not be allowed into the meeting, including members of the media.
Members of the Braemar community are mobilizing against the proposed transition to an SF6 gas-insulated substation at 13405 Vint Hill Road in Nokesville. Three 500 kilovault lines traverse the landscape there, but do not connect to the existing substation at Nokesville Road and Reed Lane.
Dominion Energy's plan, if implemented, would upgrade the existing infrastructure connecting those three power lines and thus allowing more energy to flow. This would help to meet the increasing need for power, which is undeniable due to the building of data centers.
But this does not sit well with Braemar residents, especially those living near Vint Hill Road.
Residents have concerns over what they call the "aggressive clustering" of utility infrastructure systems to serve data centers, high-voltage power lines that would traverse their residential borders and especially new GIS systems that could cause environmental harm.
The Coalition demands a state-level examination into the cumulative impact these targeted projects have on the local environment and the long-term quality of life.
Residents oppose what they perceive as environmental and health risks, financial inequity, a lack of transparency, and threats to the preservation of their quality of life. Their chief environmental concern is that the substation would use sulfur hexafluoride, a potent greenhouse gas.
Residents are further concerned that their utility bills will increase to pay for the high power usage required to serve data centers.
Coalition members also demand a formalized sound study as well as proof that the aesthetics of the substation will not malign the character of the road.
Finally, they want Dominion Energy to disclose the number of high-voltage transmission lines planned for the site and the paths they would take through residential areas.
“No one is looking at the cumulative impact of all of these things [data centers, high voltage power lines and substations] - not just in isolation," said Mindy Diepenbrock, a member of the Coalition. “They are taking our green space. They are taking our water and polluting our air.”
The Save Braemar Coalition was formed in response to the Nokesville-Bristow 230 kV Electric Transmission Line proposed "Blue Line" route that would run through Braemar.
The rally will be attended by Va. State Senator Danica A. Roem (District 30-D) and Del. Elizabeth Guzman (District 22-D), who also supported Braemar residents in their fight against the blue line.
Diepenbrock said her group has extended an invitation to other local representatives and would like all the support they can get.
Dominion Energy has posted information about the Vint Hill Substation Expansion on its website. It has framed GIS technology as a net benefit because it allows for a minimal expansion in terms of land use. The corporation describes a GIS substation as "safe, tested and effective."
Dominion images show that Vint Hill substation would appear less obstructive to the surrounding landscape after its expansion.
To meet Prince William County’s growing energy demands and comply with federal reliability mandates, we are proposing to upgrade equipment at the existing Vint Hill Substation located at 13405 Vint Hill Road in Nokesville, Virginia.
This project will add 500 kV equipment and new 230 kV infrastructure. We plan to install 500 kV transformers and related equipment as well as modern Gas Insulated Substation (GIS) technology. For more information on GIS, please consult our fact sheet.
To accommodate the new equipment, we will expand the footprint of the substation on Dominion Energy-owned property. No new permanent electrical easements will be required to support this expansion project
We have submitted an application for a Special Use Permit to Prince William County for the project; we will seek approval over the coming months. Pending permits and approvals, we anticipate beginning construction in Spring 2026.
So is FS6 safe?
That depends upon who you ask and also how it is handled.
The gas is primarily used in the electrical industry as an insulating medium in high-voltage electric equipment. It is harmless under normal conditions, but in an enclosed area it can displace oxygen, leading to asphyxiation. If heated over 300 degrees Farentheit it could break down and cause severe respiratory or skin damage.
However, whereas those situations are unlikely, it carries a global warming potential over 22,000 times higher than CO2 and can remain in the atmosphere for thousands of years.
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