(Updated at 12:15 a.m. on 4/27/2023) Preliminary construction activities will kick into gear this weekend on a long-gestating project to move part of an electric transmission line underground in the Spring Hill area of Tysons.
Starting this Friday (April 28) evening, Dominion Energy will close the Vesper Trail from Route 7 (Leesburg Pike) to Vesper Street so its crews can install a manhole needed for the project, spokesperson Peggy Fox said. The trail closure will last until Tuesday (May 2).
“This closure is necessary to keep community members safe while we install a manhole,” Fox told FFXnow.
Replacing an existing above-ground line, the new 230-kilovolt transmission line will span approximately half a mile from Dominion’s Tyco Road substation to the vicinity of a planned Spring Hill substation just southwest of Leesburg Pike and Spring Hill Road.
An underground line will be safer and less visually obtrusive, while helping Tysons meet the demand for electricity as the area continues to develop, Dominion has said. Removal of the existing overhead line will also “facilitate” construction on The View, a mixed-use development planned next to the Spring Hill Metro station, according to documents filed with the State Corporation Commission.
The project was endorsed by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in March 2020 and approved by the SCC on June 24, 2021.
Dominion notified residents in the area on April 14 that construction on the power line would begin this month, noting that the county has waived noise restrictions for the project until Oct. 31 since some work will occur at night.
“To limit traffic impacts on major roadways, particularly Leesburg Pike, construction will be performed at night,” the utility company said. “This allows our crews to obtain necessary lane closures to complete the work safely and efficiently.”
Split into five phases, the project includes the installation of two manholes, which will occur throughout the day and night so they can be completed “as expeditiously as possible.”
“There will be more impacts to the trail in fall 2023 when we begin installing the underground line in this area, and outreach will take place prior,” Fox said by email. “No impacts to electric service are anticipated as a result of this work.”
Including the addition of a transition pole at the end of the new line and removal of the old overhead line, the project is expected to finish in late 2024. At that point, Dominion says it will begin construction on the Spring Hill substation, which will occupy a 1-acre site near Raglan Road Park.
The new substation will support customers south of Route 7 (Leesburg Pike) and outside of I-495, according to Dominion.
Updated at 11:25 a.m. — All lanes on John Marr Drive and Little River Turnpike have now reopened to traffic, police say.
Earlier: A crash on John Marr Drive in Annandale took down power lines and sent three people to the hospital this morning (Tuesday).
John Marr and Little River Turnpike are closed in both directions at the intersection for an indefinite period of time, as Dominion Energy addresses the downed wires in the street, the Fairfax County Police Department says.
Scanner traffic on Open MHz from around 8:30 a.m. indicates that a vehicle crashed into a pole. A responder from the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department observed one victim on the street median.
“We do have one of the transmission lines from the power pole that’s down, that’s hanging. Two poles in both directions will be compromised,” the responder said.
Three people have been transported to a hospital with injuries not considered life-threatening, according to the police.
“Expect delays and avoid the area if possible,” the FCPD said.
As of 9:40 a.m., no power outages in the area had been reported to Dominion Energy.
TRAFFIC ALERT: John Marr Drive at Little River Turnpike is shut down due to a crash. Wires are in the roadway and Virginia Power is responding. Three people were taken to the hospital for injuries not considered life-threatening. Expect delays and avoid the area if possible. pic.twitter.com/Zvpv6SCPqw
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) April 25, 2023
Image via Google Maps
(Updated at 2:35 p.m.) Hundreds of people in Fairfax County have lost electricity today (Tuesday) as winds buffet the D.C. region, taking out power lines and contributing to at least one fire.
Georgetown Pike is currently closed in both directions at Miller Avenue in Great Falls due to a tree that fell on power lines and “a resulting fire,” the Virginia Department of Transportation said shortly after 1 p.m.
The closure extends between Stephanie Circle and Ellsworth Avenue, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.
“Expect delays for several hours as emergency and utility crews clear the scene,” VDOT tweeted.
#GreatFalls: Georgetown Pike at Miller Rd closed in both directions for a fallen tree on power lines and a resulting fire. Expect delays for several hours as emergency and utility crews clear the scene. #VATraffic #NOVA #DMVTraffic pic.twitter.com/okCC4QQeQ5
— VDOT Northern VA (@VaDOTNOVA) March 14, 2023
TRAFFIC ALERT: Georgetown Pike is closed between Stephanie Circle and Ellsworth Avenue in Great Falls due to a tree on wires. The closure is expected to last several hours. Please use an alternate route. #FCPD pic.twitter.com/2n569vx8t1
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) March 14, 2023
That one outage has affected 277 Dominion Energy customers, according to the utility company’s outage map. Power isn’t expected to be restored there until 4-9 p.m.
Further south in the Vienna and Oakton area, Dominion crews are assessing the damage caused by the wind storm in the Lake Vale neighborhood. Power is now being restored to over 800 customers.
Vale Road has been closed between Hunter Mill Road and Stryker Avenue due to fallen power lines, according to Fairfax County police.
“The closure is expected to last several hours. Please use an alternate route,” the FCPD said.
TRAFFIC ALERT: Vale Rd is closed between Hunter Mill Rd and Stryker Ave in Vienna due to power lines in the roadway. The closure is expected to last several hours. Please use an alternate route. #FCPD pic.twitter.com/fbWvWKo1k7
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) March 14, 2023
While those are the largest outages reported so far, power losses and road closures due to fallen wires have been seen across the county today. As of 1:50 p.m., about 1,268 Dominion Energy customers in the county were without power.
The National Weather Service issued a Wind Advisory that took effect at 9 a.m. today and will remain in place until 2 a.m. tomorrow (Wednesday).
Winds have been consistently exceeding 40 mph, with some gusts topping 50 mph, according to the Washington Post’s Capital Weather Gang.
The Wind Advisory has been updated and is now in effect from 9 AM this morning (3/14/23) to 2 AM Wednesday (3/15/23).
Use extra caution when driving, especially if operating a high profile vehicle. Secure outdoor objects. pic.twitter.com/CGgjWXbXsW
— Ready Fairfax (@ReadyFairfax) March 14, 2023
A #windadvisory is in effect until 2 a.m. 🍃
Here's a list of who to contact if you see a downed tree or wires: https://t.co/PGVTIaoj2z
If there’s an immediate life-safety issue, call or text 9-1-1. pic.twitter.com/yIRKqS0u8Y
— Fairfax County Government 🇺🇸 (@fairfaxcounty) March 14, 2023
Not a fun day outside, DC. Temps barely above 40 and winds pretty consistently gusting over 40 mph. Here are peak gusts so far– a few spots topping 50 mph. pic.twitter.com/yiTYLHwSBs
— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) March 14, 2023
Residents of the Wolf Trap area near Meadowlark Botanical Gardens may want to charge up their phones now before the power goes out sometime today (Monday).
A “large power outage” is expected to be necessary so that Dominion Energy can replace a pole on that was knocked down last night by a vehicle crash on Beulah Road, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.
No injuries were reported in the single-vehicle crash, which occurred in the 1600 block of Beulah Road. Police responded to the scene around 10:20 p.m.
While the crash didn’t result in a power outage, work to replace the damaged pole is still underway. Traffic on Beulah Road is being detoured, with the roadway anticipated to remain closed until early in this afternoon’s rush hour, police said.
Neighborhood remains powered. Beulah Road is expected to be closed until early evening rush hour tomorrow. Detour has been established. Large power outage is anticipated while pole is being replaced.
— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) March 13, 2023
Map via Google Maps
A sidewalk is coming to Vienna’s Alma Street SE, whether the residents there want it or not.
Construction to add about 1,500 linear feet of concrete, curb and gutter, driveway aprons, and ramps on the northwest side between Follin Lane and Delano Drive will begin by the end of this week, the Town of Vienna shared on Monday (Aug. 8).
One of many sidewalks in the works as part of Vienna’s Robinson Trust Sidewalk Initiative, the Alma Street project drew some particularly strong opposition from residents along the road, who petitioned against the proposal as it moved through the engineering and design process last year.
The town maintains that the sidewalk is needed for older residents, people with mobility challenges, and anyone else who doesn’t want to walk in the roadway or might benefit from the accompanying ramp, crosswalk and other accessibility improvements.
“The Town believes that sidewalks are an important amenity for residents of a street — and for the community at large,” Department of Public Works Engineer Robert Froh said in an email. “Sidewalks promote good health and pedestrian safety, connect individuals and destinations in the community, support Town businesses and sustainability goals, and enhance the ‘greater good’ of the community — today and in the future.”
Alert! By the end of this week, sidewalk construction is expected to begin on Alma Street SE, from Follin Lane to Delano Drive, as part of the Robinson Trust Sidewalk Initiative. Curb and gutter, driveway aprons, and handicap ramps will also be installed. Please use caution. pic.twitter.com/sVISceoJdK
— Town of Vienna, VA (@TownofViennaVA) August 8, 2022
A flier dated Aug. 4 that a resident shared with FFXnow said construction would take about three weeks, depending on weather. It will require relocations of water meters for five houses, and homeowners were told to move sprinkler systems and any personal belongings out of the right-of-way.
Street also targeted for Dominion undergrounding project
The resident says they learned earlier this week that Dominion Energy will underground its electric lines, which are on the same side of Alma Street as the incoming sidewalk, leading them to question the location and timing of construction.
Dominion Energy confirmed it has a project for Alma Street SE under its Strategic Underground Program, which focuses on moving its “most outage-prone overhead power lines” underground. Read More
(Updated at 7:45 p.m.) More than 16,000 people in Fairfax County are currently without power after a rainstorm with high winds passed through the D.C. area earlier this evening (Tuesday).
As of 7 p.m., a total of 16,255 electricity users in the county had lost power, including 15,480 Dominion Energy customers, according to PowerOutage.US.
Dominion’s outage map indicates that the Great Falls and Wolf Trap area experienced the most extensive power losses, with roughly 4,246 customers affected. Other hard-hit areas include Tysons, Springfield, and Fair Lakes.
The estimated times of restoration suggest that the utility company will be working to address the outages throughout the night and into tomorrow morning (Wednesday).
The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for southern Fairfax County until 8:30 p.m., forecasting 60 mph wind gusts and quarter-sized hail. According to an initial report, wind gusts from an earlier storm reached up to 70 mph in Centreville.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 10 p.m., and a Flood Watch is out for the D.C. area until midnight.
70 mph gust reported near Centreville around 530p. https://t.co/l2luoROK5W
— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) July 12, 2022
As a reminder, if your power is out, report it. Don't assume a neighbor has reported the outage already. pic.twitter.com/gBumBmiEKK
— Ready Fairfax (@ReadyFairfax) July 12, 2022
(Updated at 3:40 p.m.) While the weather has died down for now, almost 800 people in Fairfax County lost electricity when a thunderstorm passed through the D.C. region this morning, bringing flood and tornado risks.
Dominion Energy has 761 customers currently without power, as of 3:20 p.m., according to PowerOutage.US.
The biggest outage is in Chantilly between Lees Corner and Stringfellow roads, near the regional library, Dominion’s power outage map shows. The utility company has dispatched a crew to investigate the cause of the power loss, which has affected 272 customers.
Another 227 customers have been impacted by an outage along Stuart Mill Road in the Little Difficult Run area of Oakton, which has also seen smaller outages along Bennett Road. There are downed wires there, Dominion spokesperson Peggy Fox said.
Outage Alert:
1,546 customer outages in Northern Va. from today's strong storm.
▶️Wires down on Bennett Rd, Fairfax; crews on scene.▶️Always assume downed wires are energized & dangerous–stay at least 30 feet away.
▶️Report immediately to @DominionEnergy at 1-866-DOM-HELP— Peggy Fox (@PeggyDomEnergy) May 27, 2022
There is also a larger power outage in Mantua affecting 186 customers. Among them appears to be Mantua Elementary School. Like in Oakton, a crew has been dispatched, but there’s no estimated time of restoration yet.
A Flood Watch remains in effect for the county, with more showers and thunderstorms potentially emerging later this afternoon and evening.
More than 2,000 people in Fairfax County are without electricity after bursts of rain and hail swept through the D.C. area last night (Sunday).
Dominion Energy has reported outages affecting 2,636 customers, as of 9:50 a.m., according to PowerOutage.US.
According to the utility company’s outage map, the damage is widespread across the eastern half of the county, from Wolf Trap in the north to Newington in the south, but the individual outages are mostly limited in their impact.
The largest outage is in the Kings Park West area, just south of Braddock Road and north of Guinea Road. Crews are currently working to address a broken pole that took out power for 271 customers. The estimated time of restoration is 6-11 p.m.
Dominion Energy spokesperson Peggy Fox reported earlier this morning (Monday) that 60 mph winds knocked down trees, branches, and utility poles across Northern Virginia, where the company is working on 92 projects.
Neighboring residents in Arlington and Alexandria are also still dealing with the storm’s aftermath
Outage Update: 7,680 customers out in NoVa, down from 25,000+ last night.
60+ mph winds knocked down trees, branches, poles– We have 92 projects with damage in Nova.@DominionEnergy crews are working as safely and quickly as possible to make repairs. ETRs will be posted ASAP.— Peggy Fox (@PeggyDomEnergy) May 23, 2022
Updated at 8:10 p.m. — The power outage in Tysons has been isolated to Tysons Corner Center, with Dominion Energy identifying a failed piece of equipment as the cause.
“Repairs are underway,” Dominion spokesperson Peggy Fox said at 7:44 p.m. “We’re hoping to have power back on within the hour.”
Tysons Galleria was able to restore electricity sooner.
Earlier: Both of Tysons’ primary malls have lost power.
Dominion Energy’s outage map indicates that the outages in Tysons are only affecting 17 customers, but two of those customers are Tysons Corner Center and Tysons Galleria, the utility company confirmed to FFXnow.
“Our crews are arriving to locate the problem and isolate the issue so we can switch back on as many people as possible,” Dominion Energy spokesperson Peggy Fox said.
According to a tipster, Tysons Corner Center lost power starting around 5:30 p.m.
As of 6:50 p.m., Dominion estimates that power will be restored between 8 and 11 p.m. for Tysons Galleria and between 9 p.m. and midnight for Tysons Corner Center.
Outage Update:
Tysons Corner area— we believe outage is affecting both malls.
Our crews are on the scene locating the problem to isolate.
I will update ASAP.
We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience.— Peggy Fox (@PeggyDomEnergy) April 27, 2022
Updated at 9:40 a.m. on 4/18/2022 — Power was restored in Tysons overnight. Dominion Energy says yesterday’s outage was caused by a piece of failed equipment.
Earlier: About 2,000 people are currently without power in Tysons.
The cause of the outage is under investigation, as a crew assesses the extent of the damage, according to Dominion Energy.
Per its outage map, the utility company estimates that power will be restored between 8 and 11 p.m. today (Sunday), though spokesperson Peggy Fox says some customers have already gotten power back, thanks to switching and isolation of the issue.
Outage Alert in Tysons.
2006 customers out in Vienna-Tysons area.
We do not know cause yet. @DominionEnergy supervisor & crew on the way to investigate.— Peggy Fox (@PeggyDomEnergy) April 17, 2022