The Manassas Utility Commission will meet Thursday to review a delay involving a substation serving Amazon Web Services, electric rates, system reliability and several utility capital projects.
The meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 10 at the Public Works Facility, 8500 Public Works Drive.
Dominion Energy has scheduled Feb. 9, 2027, to energize the transmission side of the AWS/BCG substation, a key step before the substation can begin serving the project.
2-MINUTE BRIEF
AWS/BCG SUBSTATION: Dominion Energy has moved the scheduled energization date to Feb. 9, 2027.
PROJECT FUNDING: City capital documents state that construction costs for the dedicated AWS/BCG substation are to be paid directly by the developer.
CITY SYSTEM: The City’s capital plan lists $3.465 million for its Substation Maintenance and Improvements program.
ELECTRIC RATES: The city’s base electric rate increased 10.5%, while the Power Cost Adjustment increased from 1.5 cents to 3.5 cents per kilowatt-hour in May.
WATER AND SEWER: The Airport Sewer Infrastructure project has reached 90% design.
WHEN: Thursday, Sept. 10, at 5:30 p.m.
What the Utility Commission Does
The seven-member Manassas Utility Commission oversees the city’s electric, water and sanitary-sewer utilities.
The commission reviews utility operations, finances, customer service and major infrastructure projects.
Thursday’s agenda includes financial and customer-service reports, an electric-system update, and water and sewer operations.
AWS/BCG Substation
City budget documents describe the AWS/BCG project as a dedicated, dual-feed electric substation serving an industrial customer load.
The project is identified by the City as serving Amazon Web Services facilities. City capital documents state that construction costs are to be paid directly by the developer.
Earlier City capital plans placed the project at approximately $43.7 million.
How the AWS Substation Fits Into the Electric System
Manassas owns and operates its local electric distribution system but is connected to a larger regional power network.
As the Manassas Journal previously reported, the City purchases electricity through the Virginia Municipal Electric Association, which obtains power through a system connected to Dominion Energy and PJM Interconnection, originally named Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Maryland Interconnection, the regional electric grid operator serving Virginia, 12 other states and the District of Columbia.
Manassas then distributes that electricity through its own local system.
Dominion’s role in the AWS/BCG project is on the transmission side, where the substation connects to the higher-voltage system supplying it.
The City has previously said data centers connected to the Manassas utility pay their own local utility costs, surcharges and connection fees. Regional electricity pricing is determined through the larger Dominion and PJM power systems.
What Changed in the AWS/BCG Timeline
The current Utility Commission packet lists Feb. 9, 2027, as Dominion Energy’s revised date to energize the transmission side of the AWS/BCG substation.
In plain terms, that is when Dominion is scheduled to connect the substation to the higher-voltage power system that supplies it.
Draft minutes from the commission’s Aug. 13 meeting say Dominion had previously committed to completing that step by July 31.
According to those minutes, the City and AWS sought an earlier commissioning approach using a single energized source. Dominion declined that proposal on engineering grounds.
City staff told commissioners that the City Manager had been informed of the schedule change.
Thursday’s meeting may provide additional information about the revised date and remaining project timeline.
City Substation Maintenance
The City’s capital plan lists $3.465 million for its Substation Maintenance and Improvements program.
The program covers the four City-owned distribution substations and potential capacity improvements.
Planned work includes transformer maintenance, replacement of voltage regulators and control cabinets, battery maintenance and lightning protection.
The program is funded through the City Electric Fund.
Other Electric-System Projects
The September capital report lists an Airport Distribution project at approximately $2.893 million, with April 2027 as the estimated completion date.
The Main Street overhead-to-underground electric conversion is scheduled to begin Nov. 17.
The commission is also following an asset-management and reliability assessment expected to cost approximately $25,000 and take eight to 12 weeks.
The available records do not yet identify which circuits, equipment or outage patterns will be included in the assessment.
Electric Rates and Customer Bills
The city’s base electric rate increased 10.5%, while the Power Cost Adjustment increased in May from 1.5 cents to 3.5 cents per kilowatt-hour.
The PCA is a separate charge tied to the City’s cost of purchasing electricity for resale.
Commissioners have asked staff for a plain-language comparison of residential bills from July 2025 and July 2026 showing electricity use, the base-rate increase and the PCA change.
Water and Sewer Projects
The commission will also receive updates on the city’s water and sanitary-sewer systems.
The Airport Sewer Infrastructure project has reached 90% design, according to the current capital-project report.
What to Watch Thursday
The commission may provide additional information on the AWS/BCG project timeline, the reliability assessment, ongoing electric-system projects, water and sewer capital work, and the effect of recent rate changes on customer bills.
Sources / Further Reading
City of Manassas Utility Commission agenda and meeting materials, Sept. 10, 2026.
City of Manassas Utility Commission draft minutes, Aug. 13, 2026.
City of Manassas capital improvement documents for the AWS/BCG substation, city substation maintenance, airport utility projects and other electric-system work.
Manassas Journal: Utility Bills Spike: Higher Rates Hit Manassas Households Across the Board
PJM Interconnection, regional electric grid information.
