December 1967 - Vepco was considering another power plant in Virginia. In a last-ditch attempt to entice the power plant to Stafford, the Board of Supervisors wrote a letter to Vepco, promising "full county cooperation if [Vepco] should decide on its Arkendale tract for a nuclear powered plant" believing an announcement of the site location would be made in January 1968.
August 1968 - Although the Stafford site was now a bust, Vepco had not yet acquired the entirety of the easement from east to west through the county and so it refused to admit the Arkendale project was dead publicly. It sued in court to seize the remaining properties, claiming that it now would build a 230 kV power line across Stafford County, much to the confusion of Stafford residents, who wondered why the easements were needed for an obviously dead project. Still hopeful that cooperating with Vepco might bring development to the county, Stafford county allowed the last of lands to be condemned for the easements.
December 1968 - By December of that year, frustration was spilling over in the county. Said the Free Lance Star: "Bitterest of all are the broken hopes of half promises. Vepco said it would build a $200-million power plant at Arkendale. Stafford Harbor said it would build a $300-million development, with. maybe a $500-million Exposition included. Aldon Construction Co. said it would build a $17-million shopping center in North Stafford, None of these ever happened."
1973 - Stafford was briefly mentioned as a contender for a new power plant, but reactions were muted after previous experience with Vepco and the Arkendale site was not seriously considered.
