"What's the alternative?" That's the most common question asked of Virginia's Commitment. It's a good question. However, the premise behind the question is flawed. It assumes that there is a problem to solve in Northern Virginia as large scale as the project Dominion Power proposes.

While our energy needs will continue to grow, the problem that Dominion itself quantifies in their application to the State Corporation Commission is quite manageable. In fact, the shortfall in peak load capacity that Dominion Power proposes to fix in four years is miniscule compared the the power that would course through the line that the company wants to build (remember: 85 percent of the electricity is going out of state).

So our answer to the question about the "alternative" is simple: better use of existing technologies and systems providing the reliability and rate affordability that homes and businesses require, with greater focus on Virginia's needs.

What do we mean by "better use of existing technologies and systems"?

Take a look at the Bloomberg article posted today in our news section. More utilities are turning to gas-fired generators, a mainstream technology that is cleaner, safer easier to site. Many of these facilities are licensed and ready to be plugged into our grid. The amount of peak load capacity that Dominion Power says needs to be supplied in 2011 to avoid problems is about 500 megawatts.

According to industry estimates, that amount of juice can be supplied by one gas-fired plant -- two General Electric turbines -- at a fraction of the cost of Dominion Power's proposed transmission line.

And that's just one example of the practical solutions available to us right now.

So why would Dominion Power instead propose a solution that is so much more mammoth?

That's a good question too. Maybe a Fairfax County citizen could ask Dominion Power that question when the company agrees to a public dialogue on the issue.

Until then, we'll just have to wait. Yes, it's Day Three of our "Where's Dominion?" Watch.

We're still hoping that the company decides to meet us for an open debate in Fairfax County.

Have you seen Dominion today?