Accomack Reliability Project

ODEC is the region's not-for-profit wholesale generation and transmission electric cooperative that buys, makes, and moves power for 11 distribution electric cooperatives across Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware, including A&N Electric Cooperative (ANEC).

ODEC is committed to providing safe, affordable, reliable power to the local electric cooperatives it serves.

The Accomack Reliability Project, also referred to as the Oak Hall to Tasley Transmission Reinforcement Project, is a major upgrade to ODEC’s existing 69-kV transmission system in Accomack County. The project includes:

• Constructing a new 69-kV transmission line between Oak Hall and Tasley.
• Replacing the existing aging 69-kV transmission line between Oak Hall and Tasley.
• Installing optical ground wire on both transmission lines to support secure system communications and protection.
• Reconfiguring and expanding the Tasley Substation, including a new control house and upgraded protection, control, and communications equipment.

The project is intended to modernize aging infrastructure and improve the reliability and resiliency of the electric transmission system serving the Eastern Shore.

The existing Oak Hall to Tasley transmission line has reached the point where replacement is necessary. In addition, system planning studies identified the need for a second transmission line to address reliability requirements and strengthen the system under contingency conditions.

The completed project will provide two transmission paths between Oak Hall and Tasley, modernize related substation and protection equipment, and improve the system’s ability to reliably serve homes, farms, businesses, schools, healthcare facilities, public safety agencies, and other customers on Virginia’s Eastern Shore.

PJM—the regional transmission operator—has identified the transmission line as needing an upgrade to maintain reliability on the Eastern Shore. Nearly three-quarters of the existing lines were built in the early 1960s.

Transmission lines are power lines facilitating the bulk transfer of high-voltage electricity from power plants to electrical substations located near concentrations of consumers. ODEC provides high-voltage electricity to ANEC’s substations through ODEC’s transmission system on the Eastern Shore. ANEC converts electricity into lower voltages and delivers it to members’ homes and businesses.

You can recognize these high-voltage transmission lines by the taller steel, concrete or wooden pole structures that are typically on long, straight and uninterrupted routes.

ODEC will fund the construction of the facilities for which it is responsible. As part of the regional transmission system, eligible transmission project costs are allocated and recovered through the applicable PJM and Delmarva Transmission Zone processes. The Delmarva Transmission Zone covers the Eastern Shore and extends north through the Delmarva Peninsula.

Project costs are recovered over the useful life of the transmission facilities rather than being collected as a single, immediate charge.

The transmission lines being replaced and upgraded serve ANEC members in Accomack County.

ODEC is prioritizing use of the existing transmission corridor. Preliminary engineering indicates that a potential path exists for both transmission lines to enter the Tasley Substation within the same right-of-way.

However, the project is still in engineering development. ODEC will contact affected landowners directly before beginning work that may affect their property.

Yes. ODEC is incorporating landowner and community considerations into the project’s engineering, right-of-way, legal, environmental, and communications planning.
ODEC, A&N Electric Cooperative, and the project engineering and construction teams have conducted right-of-way and substation site reviews.Those reviews identified existing encroachments, vegetation-management requirements, potential line-position adjustments, and other constraints that must be considered during design. ODEC is also developing a coordinated community engagement strategy for the project.

ODEC will contact affected landowners directly. The project team is reviewing current ownership records, historical title information, existing easements, surveys, and preliminary engineering information to determine potential parcel-specific impacts.
Because final structure locations are still being developed, detailed impacts may not be available for every property at this stage. Landowners will receive additional information as engineering advances and before easement negotiations or construction activities affecting their property begin.

Environmental reviews and field studies are being incorporated into the project’s engineering and permitting process. These efforts evaluate wetlands, waterways, protected species, cultural and historic resources, construction access, vegetation clearing, and other environmental considerations.

The project team will use the results of these studies to avoid or minimize environmental impacts where practicable. Required environmental protection measures will be incorporated into the final design, permit applications, and construction plans. Because engineering and environmental review are ongoing, final impact determinations have not yet been completed.

ODEC will upgrade the existing H frame structure with two new weathered steel poles. The new poles will be stand-alone, in close proximity to the existing structures, and will be about 30ft - 40ft higher than the existing structures. The new lines will be constructed in parallel to avoid power disruptions, reduce community impacts during construction, and manage construction costs. Once the new lines are in service, the existing H-frame structures will be removed, and the work areas restored.

Depending on the final design and impacts identified, project review or authorization may involve:

• Virginia State Corporation Commission.
• Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
• Virginia Marine Resources Commission.
• Accomack County.
• Virginia Department of Transportation.
• Federal Aviation Administration.
• Other federal or state resource agencies where required.

The specific permits, consultations, and approvals will be finalized as engineering and environmental studies progress.

ODEC is developing a coordinated engagement plan that includes communication with affected landowners, A&N Electric Cooperative, elected officials, Accomack County representatives, community leaders, businesses, and other stakeholders.
Potential outreach methods include direct landowner letters, project fact sheets, website updates, and open houses. ODEC intends to communicate early enough to support meaningful engagement while ensuring that sufficiently detailed engineering information is available to answer property-specific questions accurately.

General project comments or questions may be submitted to to
esva-reliability@odec.com. Easement-specific inquiries may be directed to ODEC’s supporting engineering representative, Joey Robinson of Stantec at joey.robinson@stantec.com, or (804) 822-1078. ODEC will continue providing additional information including engineering, environmental review, property coordination, and project planning.