Senator Chris Rose Stands with Monongalia County in Opposing the MARL Transmission Line Project

Jul 31
3 min read

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

MORGANTOWN, WV - July 31, 2025

West Virginia State Senator Chris Rose (R-Monongalia) today voiced his strong opposition to the proposed Mid-Atlantic Resilient Link (MARL) high-voltage transmission line project, echoing the recent resolution passed by the Monongalia County Commission. The project, spearheaded by NextEra Energy Transmission, threatens to infringe on private property rights, harm local economies, and impose undue burdens on West Virginia residents—all while providing minimal benefits to the communities it would disrupt and undermining the state's efforts to attract data centers and develop microgrids of its own.

"The MARL project represents a clear overreach that prioritizes out-of-state interests over the livelihoods and values of West Virginians," said Senator Rose. "As a conservative committed to protecting property rights, promoting limited government, and ensuring local control, I stand firmly with the Monongalia County Commission in rejecting this unnecessary intrusion. Our state already produces far more energy than we consume, exporting electricity to fuel the nation. We shouldn't be forced to subsidize data centers in Northern Virginia at the expense of our farmers, families, and natural beauty—especially when West Virginia is actively pursuing its own data center growth through innovative policies like the recently passed House Bill 2014, the Power Generation and Consumption Act. This legislation, signed into law by Governor Patrick Morrisey in April and effective as of July 11, 2025, establishes a Certified Microgrid Program to attract high-impact data centers by allowing them to build and operate self-sufficient, behind-the-meter microgrids that can even share excess power. MARL hurts us economically by diverting resources and imposing over $440 million in transmission costs on West Virginia ratepayers to benefit Virginia's booming data center industry, while stifling our ability to compete for those same investments, jobs, and revenues right here at home."

The Monongalia County Commission's resolution, adopted on July 30, 2025, highlights the project's potential to construct a 105-mile, 500-kV transmission line originating near Gore, Virginia, and crossing through Monongalia County en route to substations in Allegheny County, Maryland, and Greene County, Pennsylvania. While West Virginia ranks fifth in the nation for energy production—generating more than it consumes—the MARL line would primarily transport power to meet surging demands from data centers in Northern Virginia, turning parts of Monongalia County into a mere transmission corridor without delivering meaningful local benefits.

Key concerns outlined in the resolution and supported by Senator Rose include:

- Violation of Private Property Rights: The line would cross family-owned lands, farms, forests, and environmentally sensitive areas, potentially devaluing properties and disrupting long-standing communities without adequate compensation or consent.

- Economic and Scenic Impacts: With only marginal increases in local tax revenue, the project could harm agriculture, tourism, and the county's natural integrity, while forcing residents to bear higher utility rates to fund it—costs that could exceed $440 million statewide for data center-driven transmission buildouts that benefit other states.

- Lack of Local Benefit: Despite Monongalia County's contributions to regional energy needs—home to two coal-fired power plants and a gas-fired plant approved for construction—the project offers no commensurate advantages, instead exporting benefits out-of-state and counterproductive to West Virginia's economic strategy under HB 2014 to lure data centers with microgrid incentives.

"I urge my colleagues in the West Virginia Legislature, the Public Service Commission, and all elected officials to join us in opposing MARL," Senator Rose added. "We must prioritize our citizens' well-being over corporate projects that erode our way of life.

West Virginians deserve energy policies that respect our sovereignty, support our microgrid initiatives, and deliver real economic value by bringing data centers to our state—not shipping our power elsewhere."

About Senator Chris Rose

Chris Rose is a Republican State Senator who is the chair of the Senate Energy, Industry, and Mining Committee. Chris Rose represents West Virginia's 2nd Senatorial District, which encompasses six counties in north-central West Virginia (Doddridge, Marshall, Marion, Monongalia, Tyler, and Wetzel). A staunch conservative, he advocates for limited government, economic growth, and the protection of individual rights. For media inquiries contact info@chrisrosewv.com or call (304) 314-2656

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