High Risk ⚡ Power Plant / Substation  ·  Virginia

Herndon Transmission Substation Northern VA

CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE RISK PROFILE  ·  VIRGINIA

8 / 10
Risk Score
Facility Type
⚡ Power Plant / Substation
Primary Risk Radius
5
mile zone
Secondary Risk Radius
20
mile zone

// Risk Intelligence

Risk Score8 / 10   High
Facility Type⚡ Power Plant / Substation
Operator / BranchDominion Energy Virginia
Host CountyFairfax County VA
Nearest CityWashington DC
Primary Risk Radius5 miles
Secondary Risk Radius20 miles

// Strategic Significance

The Herndon area transmission substations in Northern Virginia are critical to powering the Ashburn data center corridor which carries 70 percent of global internet traffic. Any major substation failure in Northern Virginia would simultaneously black out the worlds most important internet infrastructure. The concentration of critical internet infrastructure dependent on this relatively small geographic power grid creates extraordinary systemic risk.

// Civilian Impact Assessment

Fairfax County with 1.1 million residents and the Northern Virginia data center corridor serving global internet infrastructure. A major substation failure would black out AWS US-EAST-1 and the Ashburn data centers affecting internet service for hundreds of millions globally. The federal government corridor in Northern Virginia depends on this power infrastructure.

// Evacuation & Shelter Guidance

I-267, VA Route 7, Dulles Toll Road. Fairfax County Emergency Management and DHS coordinate grid emergency and terrorism protocols.

// Counties Within Risk Zone

// Cities Within Risk Zone