Nearly 100 residents of Fayette County gathered to seek answers about a newly proposed transmission line, which they say would negatively impact their community.About a year ago, Fayette County residents learned that the MidAtlantic Resiliency Link was selected by Pennsylvania’s electric grid operator to address several reliability needs.The MidAtlantic Resiliency Link transmission project was chosen by PJM, the regional grid operator responsible for planning the future needs of the local electric system.However, the issue is that none of those needs are being met for the area the grid would actually go through — those areas being Fayette and parts of Greene County.State Rep. Charity Krupa, along with Rep. Bud Cook of Greene, hosted a town hall for residents to ask questions about the proposed line. Krupa made it clear to her constituents that she would not support the project proposal.”This transmission line, it’s not meant to help us. It’s meant to pull our energy down to the D.C. area. It’s offensive,” Krupa said.The line would go through Fayette County, but wouldn’t support the county, instead putting a strain on the power grid.Krupa said, “They tapped into their local grid and basically depleted their local grid so that that area is having significant brownouts and blackouts.”One resident and business owner, Beth Ann Bossio, said, “This line is designed to move power to Virginia, and it was brought up this evening that, in 2020, Virginia made decisions to be clean and they shut down a lot of generation, so now they’re needing to suck more power from surrounding states.”Residents are also concerned about the map showing where these proposed lines would go.”It’s not doing anything to benefit us, and especially if they take our property, our home value goes away, so all around it, it’s not a good deal,” said Christine Tarcy. Laurie Festog said, “This is farmland and stuff, and a lot of people’s homes, and I don’t want to see electrical lines that just tear the place apart.”A Pennsylvania consumer advocate was also at the meeting, briefing residents on how they can get involved in fighting against this proposal and their legal rights. PJM will file an application with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission soon, and residents will have about 60 days to file formal objections.
SMITHFIELD, Pa. —
Nearly 100 residents of Fayette County gathered to seek answers about a newly proposed transmission line, which they say would negatively impact their community.
About a year ago, Fayette County residents learned that the MidAtlantic Resiliency Link was selected by Pennsylvania’s electric grid operator to address several reliability needs.
The MidAtlantic Resiliency Link transmission project was chosen by PJM, the regional grid operator responsible for planning the future needs of the local electric system.
However, the issue is that none of those needs are being met for the area the grid would actually go through — those areas being Fayette and parts of Greene County.
State Rep. Charity Krupa, along with Rep. Bud Cook of Greene, hosted a town hall for residents to ask questions about the proposed line. Krupa made it clear to her constituents that she would not support the project proposal.
“This transmission line, it’s not meant to help us. It’s meant to pull our energy down to the D.C. area. It’s offensive,” Krupa said.
The line would go through Fayette County, but wouldn’t support the county, instead putting a strain on the power grid.
Krupa said, “They tapped into their local grid and basically depleted their local grid so that that area is having significant brownouts and blackouts.”
One resident and business owner, Beth Ann Bossio, said, “This line is designed to move power to Virginia, and it was brought up this evening that, in 2020, Virginia made decisions to be clean and they shut down a lot of generation, so now they’re needing to suck more power from surrounding states.”
Residents are also concerned about the map showing where these proposed lines would go.
“It’s not doing anything to benefit us, and especially if they take our property, our home value goes away, so all around it, it’s not a good deal,” said Christine Tarcy.
Laurie Festog said, “This is farmland and stuff, and a lot of people’s homes, and I don’t want to see electrical lines that just tear the place apart.”
A Pennsylvania consumer advocate was also at the meeting, briefing residents on how they can get involved in fighting against this proposal and their legal rights. PJM will file an application with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission soon, and residents will have about 60 days to file formal objections.