Consider this...
Those who oppose transmission - you're either committed to being part of an integrated grid or you're not, can't cherrypick what you like and don't like - say they don't want to pay for Virginia's energy decisions.
I've never been a fan of the VA Clean Economy Act.
That aside, energy markets don't recognize state borders, electrons certainly don't. Never have, never will.
Why are we only now expressing problems to providing power to Va when we've been doing it for years before new transmission was proposed?
This state and it's ratepayers benefit enormously from exporting power - something we can't do minus some level of integrated grid. It's that simple.
And Va isn't the only market. As we speak, NJ, Maryland, DC, Ohio, Delaware and Kentucky are importing our power. That means more coal mined in WV and more natural gas drilled and extracted.
Consistency is important. If we don't want transmission here, so be it, but understand what we're signaling. We're saying we want a stand-alone grid that would leave us on an island by ourselves with ZERO ability to export into other markets.
We can't afford to pay for a grid that can handle that and we're losing out on revenues that drive this state. Governor Patrick Morrisey's 50 by 50 plan? Forget it.
Make your choice, but please understand all of the realities in play. So far, these consequences haven't been expressd in the debate.