Jul 08, 2026 Board of Trade

Electricity transmission is the key to economic growth | WBJ Viewpoint

Electricity transmission is quickly becoming one of the defining economic growth issues for Greater Washington. As energy demand rises across data centers, hospitals, military installations, small businesses, transportation, and advanced manufacturing, the region’s ability to compete will increasingly depend on whether it can build the infrastructure needed to support that growth.

In a new Washington Business Journal viewpoint, Board of Trade President & CEO Jack McDougle argues that transmission capacity is the missing link in the region’s energy future. Without sufficient transmission, the region risks higher costs, reliability challenges, and slower economic growth at a time when Virginia, Maryland, and D.C. are all working to attract investment and support major industries.

The piece highlights why an all-of-the-above energy strategy must include new generation, storage, efficiency, and major transmission upgrades. McDougle also points to the proposed Valley Link Joshua Falls–Yeat 765 kV Transmission Project as an example of the kind of long-term infrastructure investment that deserves serious consideration.

While major transmission projects raise real questions for landowners, farmers, and local communities, McDougle emphasizes that the path forward must include transparency, engagement, mitigation, and accountability. The article makes the case that energy infrastructure is no longer just a utility issue — it is a regional competitiveness issue.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE

ABOUT THE BOARD OF TRADE

The Greater Washington Board of Trade, founded in 1889, is the region’s premier non-partisan business organization representing industry, nonprofits, universities, and government agencies. The Board of Trade addresses complex and always-evolving business concerns that stretch across the District of Columbia, suburban Maryland, and Northern Virginia, with a priority focus on inclusive economic growth, improving the business climate, and enhancing the region’s economic competitiveness.  

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