top of page

Candidates Answer Questions About Power Outages

Oct 5

3 min read

1

19

Via Potomac Local...


Potomac Local News is informing the community about candidates vying for seats on the Manassas City Council and the mayor’s seat. You can sign up for Potomac Local News' newsletter here.


To help voters make an informed decision, they are launching a new feature series, “One-Question Manassas City Council Candidate Survey.” This series will run throughout the campaign season, offering insights into each candidate’s stand on key issues affecting our city.


Here are Manassas Republican candidates answers on concerns regarding power outages.


Xiao-Yin “Tang” Byrom (R)

Sporadic power outages, which peaked last summer, have highlighted the consequences of leaving critical utility positions unfilled. The mayor and City Council members seeking reelection owe it to residents — particularly the elderly, at-risk, and vulnerable populations — to address outages swiftly. We have to be able to attract top talent to the city and keep them here. Interim City Manager Doug Keen played a pivotal role in bringing Steve Burke back as assistant city manager of operations, responsible for electric service. After meeting with Steve personally, I’m confident we have the right leadership in place to minimize further disruptions. The next Council and mayor will need to ensure Burke remains with the city and has the resources his department needs to provide residents with a stable and reliable power supply. As the city grows, new demands on the grid will continue to increase. My focus will be squarely on hiring and retaining exceptional staff like Steve Burke, who can anticipate future needs and offer effective solutions.

Lynn Forkell Greene (R)

It’s clear that the recent historic outages underscored the need for robust leadership and effective succession planning within our utility leadership team. Additionally, our city lacked the necessary information to swiftly address the challenges posed by aging substations. As your next Manassas City Councilor, I will prioritize modernizing our electrical grid with a responsible and proactive approach. This involves investing in new equipment, enhancing power lines, and continuing to integrate smart technology for improved monitoring. Starting this process now is essential to effectively manage our financial commitments and prevent future issues, particularly with the anticipated demand from the four approved data centers. So, how will we achieve this? First, we must conduct a thorough infrastructure assessment to ensure transparency and effective planning. By evaluating our current capabilities, including the condition of our substations and other critical equipment, we can make informed decisions that benefit our community and prepare us for the increased demands on our grid. Community engagement is vital to our success. I envision open communication and collaboration that reaches every household, allowing our taxpayers to see the benefits of these developments without sacrificing our quality of life. Together, we can tackle the challenges that come with this growth. We also need to strengthen our emergency response plans, ensuring clear communication during outages and reliable backup power for critical facilities. Sharing these plans with every household is key to fostering preparedness in our community. I will work closely with city staff to create a comprehensive revenue plan from the data centers, aligning it with our infrastructure forecast. This will ensure our community is well-equipped to handle increased demands while maximizing the benefits of new developments. By coming together, we can enhance the reliability of our electrical grid and improve the quality of life for all residents in Manassas. Let’s be proactive, stay informed, and take action for a brighter, more dependable future! Together, we can prosper.

Robyn Williams (R)

Manassas has long provided reliable power to its residents and businesses, but over the past year, a series of power outages exposed the vulnerabilities of the city’s aging power station and substations, which now require replacement. In response, I would begin by conducting an infrastructure audit and demand assessment. Engaging stakeholders — including utility companies, public works, transportation and emergency services — would help us fully understand the impact of prolonged outages. Additionally, I would involve the community to gauge how these outages have affected residents and businesses. Although immediate repairs and upgrades have been made to stabilize substations and implement backup systems, it’s clear that we must now prioritize a comprehensive upgrade plan. This plan would focus on modernizing the infrastructure, investing in energy storage solutions, and exploring microgrids for critical areas such as hospitals and emergency services. As demand for power continues to rise, it will be essential to diversify the city’s electric grid by investing in renewable energy sources and collaborating with state initiatives. A public awareness and education campaign would also play a key role in this effort. By combining these short-term fixes with long-term investments in infrastructure modernization, renewable energy and effective demand management, we can ensure a more resilient and reliable power grid for the future.

Read more on PotomacLocal.com


bottom of page