Communities Invited to Help Shape the Valley North Project

A series of open houses will give residents the opportunity to provide input on a critical effort to strengthen the power grid in West Virginia, Virginia and Maryland

FAIRMONT, W.Va., June 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The community is invited to a series of open houses beginning June 29 to learn about the new Valley North Project – a major effort to strengthen the power grid across West Virginia, Virginia and Maryland. These open houses are designed for residents to gather information about the project and share what matters most to them in a friendly and collaborative setting.

A full list of scheduled open houses is available at vltransmission.com/valley-north.

The project is being developed by the Valley Link Transmission Company LLC (Valley Link), a joint venture of Dominion Energy, FirstEnergy Transmission LLC and Transource Energy LLC (jointly owned by American Electric Power and Evergy). PJM Interconnection, the regional transmission operator, selected the project from multiple proposals as part of a broader effort to maintain reliability and meet growing energy needs across PJM's 13-state region.

Regional power demand is expected to double over the next decade — the fastest growth since the post‑World War II boom, driven by population growth, expanding industries, generation retirements and advanced manufacturing. The Valley North Project will help modernize the electric grid, helping ensure that everyone – from large companies to small business owners to families in rural communities – has the reliable power they need in the years ahead.

Connecting Communities to More Opportunity
The Valley North Project includes approximately 260 miles of new 765‑kilovolt (kV) transmission lines between Putnam County, W.Va., and Frederick County, Md., and two new substations in Hardy County, W.Va., and Frederick County, Md. The route options under consideration will be available for the public to view at 23 open houses scheduled in communities along the potential routes. The new high-voltage line will provide electricity where it's needed and create economic development opportunities for local communities along the route—similar to how highway off-ramps connect towns to new traffic and growth.

Isaac Rhoades, President of Valley Link: "The Valley North Project strengthens the region's electric backbone and addresses a critical vulnerability that could otherwise lead to increased reliability challenges and a greater potential for outages down the road. Strengthening our grid also gives communities more flexibility to attract employers, support local economies and create opportunities for future generations. We look forward to working with residents and their communities to shape a final project route that best reflects local priorities."

Your Voice Matters
The final route for the project has not yet been selected and will be based on community input, extensive surveys and thorough study of environmental, cultural and historic resources. After this summer's open houses, the Valley North team will review all feedback, develop routes from the study segments and host a second series of open houses in late 2026 to further refine the project routes with additional community input.

The Valley North Project team remains committed to listening to the people who live and work in the project area. The upcoming open houses will give residents the chance to review early route options, speak with project experts and share feedback that will help shape project decisions. In addition to open houses, community members can stay involved through regular updates on the project website (www.vltransmission.com/valley-north).

How the Valley North Project Helps Your Community
The Valley North Project is designed to deliver lasting benefits to families, businesses and essential services in West Virginia, Virginia and Maryland. By strengthening the region's energy infrastructure, the project will help:

• Deliver more reliable, affordable electricity to the places people depend on every day: homes, hospitals, schools and local businesses.
• Increase capacity on existing power lines, reducing bottlenecks that can lead to service disruptions and outages.
• Strengthen the resilience of the energy system, helping the grid withstand extreme weather and unexpected challenges.

For communities along the potential routes, multiyear projects like Valley North bring meaningful benefits, including hundreds of local construction jobs; increased local spending at restaurants, shops and hotels; higher tax revenues and long-term support for essential services such as first responders, libraries and healthcare facilities. Industry and federal research show that every $1 invested in infrastructure can generate up to $1.50–$2.50 in broader economic activity, amplifying these local benefits over time.

Bill Bissett, President of West Virginia Manufacturers Association: "Energy demand across the U.S. continues to grow, and new and enhanced transmission lines are essential to meeting that need and supporting manufacturers today and in the future. Reliable electricity powers the production of the goods we rely on every day. As a historic energy state, West Virginia must continue to expand not only how we generate electricity, but also how we deliver it through modern transmission infrastructure."

Justin Williams, Director of Affiliated Construction Trades West Virginia: "The Valley North Project represents the type of long-term infrastructure investment our workforce is built for and depends on. It will strengthen energy reliability while creating hundreds of family-sustaining jobs and expanding apprenticeship opportunities across West Virginia. As demand grows from manufacturing and emerging technologies, projects like this ensure we have both the modern grid and skilled workforce needed to support lasting economic growth."

Keith Martin, Virginia Chamber of Commerce Interim President & CEO: "Virginia's economic competitiveness depends on a strong, modern electric grid. Demand for energy across the Commonwealth is growing, and projects like Valley North help ensure businesses can keep growing here, too. We encourage continued collaboration between the project team, local communities and state regulators to get this critical infrastructure right."

About Valley Link
Valley Link Transmission Company LLC was formed to build the modern infrastructure needed to keep electricity reliable and affordable for homes, businesses and growing industries across the Mid-Atlantic region. Valley Link combines over two centuries of utility expertise, strengthening the regional grid and supporting long-term economic vitality. Following PJM's identification of new transmission needs, Valley Link's proposed solutions were selected and approved in early 2025. The company's mission is to deliver cost-effective infrastructure that keeps power flowing, supports efficient energy, and prepares the grid for the future. Learn more at vltransmission.com.

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SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.