Several major underground electric transmission projects are advancing or recently completed in the U.S., driven by data center load growth, reliability needs, clean energy transfers, and constraints that make overhead lines impractical (e.g., dense urban areas, airports, or landowner/permitting issues).
See our Distributech 2027 panel next March in Atlanta on 765kV and more….including HVDC UG. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/mikebeehler_several-thousand-miles-of-new-765kv-are-in-share-7517988797792509953-j704/?utm_source=social_share_send&utm_medium=ios_app&rcm=ACoAAAYZSGABth7fFxydwXM3GFzjWIsnaKJWU6A
Here's an example
Dominion Energy Virginia Underground HVDC “Backbone”
• ~185-mile fully underground 525 kV HVDC line from Heritage substation (Brunswick County, southern Virginia) to Mosby substation (Loudoun County / data center alley).
• Capacity: 3,000 MW (Phase 1; potential for expansion).
• Cost: Roughly $3.8 billion total (~$2.3 billion for the line + ~$1.5 billion for converter stations at each end).
• Status: Approved by the PJM board in February 2026 as a key part of an $11.8 billion Regional Transmission Expansion Plan (RTEP). Targeted in-service June 2032. Primarily follows existing rights-of-way; chosen for constructability, reduced community impact, and direct delivery into the highest-demand load pocket in PJM (driven heavily by data centers).
Join us at Distributech 2027 by registering now at: https://forms.reg.buzz/dtech-2027/dtech-website