Electricity
- Prince William Supervisors Vote Unanimously to End By-Right Data Center Development
An 8-0 board vote advances Tom Gordy’s 90-day grace framework, shrinks the 2016 overlay, and leaves residential and school setbacks for later Planning Commission action.
- Dominion unveils route changes for Valley Link Transmission line
The proposed Valley Link Transmission Line's Route 2 option with variations, which Dominion Energy has shared with nine Virginia counties that the line could cross, if approved.
- Richmond Solar Deal for Nearly 40 City Buildings Heads to Full Council Amid $28M Exit-Fee Fight
Government Operations advanced a 25-year Secure Solar proposal with no recommendation after members demanded a fuller risk assessment before the Sept. 28 vote.
- Loudoun Democrats Re-Approve Aspen Substation — Sell It as Oxygen-Machine Reliability After Data-Center Boom
After briefly rescinding approval, the Democrat-majority board restores Aspen amid talk of 95 existing or proposed substations; Umstattd and Randall frame wires as life-safety while critics say homes had power before 200 data centers.
- UCS: Data-Center Grid Hookups Put $4.3B on PJM Customers in 2024 — Virginia Alone Near $2B
Union of Concerned Scientists brief says transmission-level campus taps are socialized through FERC and state rates; Virginia’s 60 tracked projects total about $1.988 billion under the rules Democrat-era load growth exploited.
- Dinwiddie Residents Grill Haven Oak Data-Center Developers on Water, Power, and Battlefield Land
Tract’s ~1,000-acre campus proposal draws sharp Q&A at VSU as the company pivots to closed-loop cooling and drops buildings over a Civil War battlefield core.
- Spanberger’s energy plan keys in on clean energy to meet growing demand and VCEA goals
Gov. Abigail Spanberger unveils energy plan that models how the state can meet energy demands while meeting clean energy goals.
- Fast-Track Large-Load Queue Is Not in the Public Interest — Preferential Power for Speculative Data Centers
RICHMOND — In a June 30, 2026 brief in PUR-2026-00011, Theresa Ghiorzi tells the SCC a paid ‘fast-track’ interconnection preference for large loads fails Virginia’s public-interest and public-use tests, citing Norfolk Southern (2025) and Dominion’s own ~70 GW speculative queue.
- Prince William Supervisors Unanimously Block $300M Vint Hill Switching Station
Board denies Dominion special use permit after residents and supervisors say the utility failed to clarify data-center loads near Braemar and Vint Hill housing.
- NextEra and Dominion sweeten $67 billion merger with longer Virginia bill credits
The state Capitol.
- MARL Power Line Is Generation Delivery for Data Centers, Not Grid Reliability, Filings Argue
LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. — The Mid-Atlantic Reliability Link project — the multi-state 500-kilovolt corridor also described as MARL / Gore-Doubs-Goose Creek — is being sold as a reliability upgrade.
- Henrico Faces About $5 Million Power-Cost Jump as VEPGA Rates Rise 24.9%
County manager asks employees to conserve electricity after Dominion-territory localities lock in a steep contract-year increase.
- Loudoun’s Data Center Loop: Democratic Supervisors Greenlit the Boom. Ratepayers and Homeowners Face the Lines.
LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. — Northern Virginia already hosts the densest cluster of data centers on the planet.
- EMF Fear Still Drives Virginia Power-Line Residue Fights as Democrat-Approved Data Centers Need New Steel
RICHMOND / LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. — Electromagnetic fields are not a side conversation in Virginia’s transmission boom.
- Data Center Development Could Triple Energy Demand if Unconstrained
On Monday, the Joint Legislative Audit Review Commission published its long-awaited Report about data centers.
- Attorney General Jay Jones Asks Regulators to Reset Clock on Dominion-NextEra Merger
Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones says the companies’ Sept. 14 supplemental filing is a different deal that should restart the SCC’s 180-day review, potentially pushing a decision into March 2027.
- Virginia Lawmakers Press for Tighter Oversight of Data Center Growth
A Virginia congressional proposal would give local governments more tools to manage data center growth, including clearer rules for electricity demand, water use and community impacts.
- Valley Link Transmission Line Threatens Generational Farm in Orange County
Michael Carter Jr.
- Virginia lawmakers prepare for a future filled with highly automated aircraft
Virginia lawmakers are aiming sky high as they turn their attention to the future of “advanced air mobility.”
- Louise Lucas and Don Scott Clash as Virginia Budget Talks Stall Over Data Center Tax Breaks
With just days remaining in the 2026 legislative session, Virginia lawmakers are running out of time to reach agreement on a new two-year state budget, even as Democrats control the governor’s office and both chambers of the General Assembly. As of Wednesday afternoon, budget con
- Louise Lucas Presses Data Center Tax Repeal After Virginia Senate Vote
RICHMOND (VA) (AP). Nearly 20 years ago, Virginia offered tax breaks to tech companies on software and equipment.
- Jeion Ward Hampton Roads Waste-to-Energy Grant Program Struck Down in House Committee
RICHMOND, Virginia — A proposed grant program aimed at encouraging waste disposal through incineration facilities in the Hampton Roads region met a swift end in the Virginia House of Delegates this session.
- Data Center Bills Dominated This Year's General Assembly. Here's What Passed.
The rapid growth of Virginia’s data center industry was a key point of focus during the 2026 legislative session, as lawmakers sought to balance the sector’s benefits — including over $80 billion in state investments and thousands of jobs — against its enormous electricity and water needs, which are a growing concern for communities statewide. Legislators filed dozens of bills directly aimed at re
- The main lesson from DEQ’s groundwater report: Virginia must budget to live within environmental limits
The timing of the release of the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality’s report on groundwater availability last month was suspicious, given that it was completed in January but not made available to lawmakers or the public until several months after the General Assembly’s legislative session. The science presented in the report is impressive, while its […]
- Loudoun County Officials Discuss Data Center Energy Options
Loudoun County Board of Supervisors convened to address questions about data center operators seeking alternatives to grid power. The discussion centered on the potential use of on-site generation methods. Officials examined various technologies that could support the county’s expanding data center sector. Presentations during the meeting referenced specific examples of on-site power projects. One
- Virginia Reenters RGGI Carbon Market Amid Concerns Over Hidden Taxes and Bureaucratic Spending
The state of Virginia is officially reentering the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative under the newly finalized budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Governor Abigail Spanberger championed the move, reversing the previous administration’s decision to exit the controversial carbon-trading market. While the administration touts a new utility bill relief mechanism, fiscal conservatives warn that the p
- Virginia Implements Historic $600 Million Data Center Tax to Protect Ratepayers from Big Tech Grid Strain
The state of Virginia has officially implemented a first-of-its-kind statewide energy consumption tax on data centers within the FY2027 budget. This unprecedented measure is projected to generate up to $600 million annually by targeting the massive electricity usage of tech corporations. For years, conservative watchdogs have warned about the unchecked expansion of data centers and […]
- DEQ study throws cold water on data center development east of I-95
Among the many environmental, energy and economic concerns about the unconstrained spread of data centers in Virginia, the impact on drinking water supplies has ranked fairly low. That changed suddenly last week, with the release of a report that the administration of Gov. Abigail Spanberger seems to have tried to suppress. In compliance with […]
- Spanberger takes unprecedented step to intervene in $67B Dominion-NextEra merger
Gov. Abigail Spanberger is stepping directly into the regulatory fight over the proposed $67 billion sale of Dominion Energy to Florida-based NextEra Energy, becoming the first Virginia governor to formally intervene in a case before the State Corporation Commission. Spanberger announced Thursday that she will seek intervenor status in the case, giving her administration the […]
- Loudoun County Data Centers Linked to Widespread Power Issues
Loudoun County data centers have been associated with power flickering reported across approximately half the United States. A statement from experts describes the facilities as imposing a substantial load on the electrical grid. This load is said to carry the potential for detrimental effects on overall system performance. Details of the Reported Connection The linkage […]
- Northern Virginia Lawmakers Suhas Subramanyam, James Walkinshaw Receive Tech Contributions Amid Data Center Debates
Northern Virginia has emerged as the world’s largest data center market, with facilities expanding significantly in counties such as Loudoun. Local residents have expressed opposition to additional development of these large-scale operations near residential areas. Three Democratic House members from the region have received campaign contributions from individuals and groups connected to companies
- Pro-data center industry group behind ad campaign in Virginia
Just days before the Oregon Legislature in March passed a one-year pause on a popular tax incentive program for data centers, a group called Oregon Connects registered as a nonprofit business in the state. Then the ads started appearing. “From homes to hospitals to businesses, Oregon’s data centers are unlocking a smarter power grid for […]
- Virginia Advances Data Center Projects Amid Concerns Over Energy and Water
Virginia continues to move forward with plans for extensive data center facilities. Projections indicate these centers could double the state’s electricity demand. Water resources may also face additional pressures from the operations. Electric bills for residents are anticipated to rise under current trajectories. No detailed plan has been presented to manage the full scope of […]
- Virginia’s New Data Center Tax: A Billion-Dollar Excuse for Government Expansion
Virginia lawmakers have officially adopted a first-of-its-kind statewide energy consumption tax on data centers, sparking concerns among fiscal conservatives about government overreach and unchecked spending. The new levy imposes a $0.011 per kilowatt-hour charge on all electricity consumed by these facilities, which is projected to generate up to $600 million annually for state coffers. While […]
- Balancing Growth and Community Impacts Through Cost-Effective Infrastructure
Loudoun County and broader Northern Virginia face escalating demands for high-voltage transmission infrastructure to support the region’s dense concentration of data centers. Dominion Energy has advanced several projects, including elements of the Loudoun Reliability Loop linking the Aspen, Golden, Mars, and Wishing Star substations near Ashburn. These lines, operating at 500 and 230 kilovolts, ar
- Northern Virginia’s Data Center Boom Threatens Family Health with Expanding Power Lines and Substations
Rapid data center construction across Loudoun and Prince William Counties is forcing a massive expansion of high-voltage transmission lines and substations that scientific research associates with higher rates of childhood leukemia and other serious illnesses. Loudoun County already contains the world’s densest concentration of these facilities, with roughly 250 operational data centers and more t
- Virginia Preserves Data Center Tax Exemption Amid Budget Battles and Fiscal Concerns
The Virginia General Assembly has finalized a contentious fiscal year 2027 budget that preserves the highly debated Data Center Retail Sales and Use Tax Exemption. Lawmakers navigated intense legislative clashes to maintain the lucrative tax break, which saves the data center industry an estimated two billion dollars annually. This decision keeps the commonwealth competitive for […]
- Virginia’s Return to RGGI: A Costly Carbon Tax Disguised as Utility Relief
The recent passage of the Virginia state budget marks a controversial return to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, a move that critics argue will unnecessarily burden hardworking taxpayers. Governor Abigail Spanberger has championed this re-entry, despite clear evidence that the program functions as a hidden carbon tax on everyday utility consumers. To mitigate the self-inflicted […]
- Virginia Democrats Push $714 Million State Employee Pay Raise Funded by New Taxes
As Virginia lawmakers finalize the massive budget for the upcoming 2026-2028 biennium, fiscal conservatives are raising urgent alarms over a reckless expansion in permanent state spending. Governor Abigail Spanberger and Democratic legislative leaders have agreed to a 3.5 percent across-the-board pay bump for state employees, which will cost hardworking taxpayers an estimated $714 million. This […
- Virginia’s Forced RGGI Reentry: A Hidden Tax Masked as Utility Relief
Virginia taxpayers and utility customers are bracing for the fiscal impacts of the state’s forced reentry into the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative under the upcoming state budget. Governor Abigail Spanberger recently outlined a legislative plan to return a portion of the revenue collected from this controversial carbon cap-and-trade program directly to everyday consumers. While the […]
- Virginia Budget Adds $600 Million Data Center Tax Amid Continued State Overspending
Virginia lawmakers have passed a new state budget that introduces a first-of-its-kind electricity consumption tax on data centers, raising serious questions about fiscal responsibility and government overspending. Taking effect on July 1, 2026, the provision levies a fee of 1.1 cents per kilowatt-hour on electricity consumed by these massive technology hubs. The new tax is […]
- Virginia Banks $585.5 Million Surplus for Fiscal Year 2027 Amid Calls for Taxpayer Relief
The state of Virginia recently announced a staggering $936.3 million general fund surplus for Fiscal Year 2026, driven by an aggressive 6.7 percent growth in state revenues. This massive influx represents a $2.09 billion increase over the previous fiscal year, highlighting just how heavily state government is taxing its citizens. Instead of returning these over-collected […]
- Virginia Implements Historic Data Center Tax Amidst Rising Public Costs and Budgetary Battles
Virginia has officially implemented a first-of-its-kind statewide energy consumption tax on data centers as part of the FY2027-FY2028 biennial budget. The new policy levies a $0.011 per kilowatt-hour charge on electricity consumed by facilities housing massive server and network systems. Governor Abigail Spanberger championed the measure, stating it ensures the rapidly expanding industry pays its
- Virginia joins rooftop solar initiative to help residents trim electric bills
On Monday, Gov. Abigail Spanberger announced that Virginia is partnering with the nonprofit Switch Together to help bring down the cost of solar array purchases for homeowners who want to install them on their homes. The governor framed the move as a way to help Virginians lower their utility bills. The organization acquires the solar […]
- Fairfax County Solid Waste Facilities Adopt Rooftop Solar for Energy Needs
Fairfax County officials have implemented rooftop solar systems at solid waste facilities operated by the Department of Public Works and Environmental Services. These installations generate electricity to meet on-site power demands. The project aims to support operational needs through on-site renewable sources. The solar arrays contribute to reduced electricity purchases from external providers.
- Virginia Implements Landmark Energy Consumption Tax on Data Centers to Protect Taxpayers and the Grid
Virginia lawmakers have finalized a groundbreaking state budget that introduces a first-in-the-nation electricity consumption tax targeting the rapidly expanding data center industry. This new fiscal policy levies a tax of $0.011 per kilowatt-hour on all electricity consumed by these massive technology hubs operating within the Commonwealth. The measure is projected to generate a substantial $600
- Virginia’s Massive Surplus Exposes Over-Taxation as State Hoards Millions in Reserves
On July 15, 2026, Governor Abigail Spanberger announced a plan to roll $585.5 million from a massive state surplus into the Fiscal Year 2027 starting balances. Virginia closed out Fiscal Year 2026 with a staggering $936.3 million general fund surplus, driven by relentless revenue collections from citizens across the commonwealth. While the administration attempts to […]
- Virginia’s $1.94 Billion Data Center Giveaway: A Colossal Failure of Fiscal Restraint
The recently finalized Virginia budget reveals a staggering fiscal reality for hardworking taxpayers who are currently subsidizing the booming data center industry. While lawmakers publicly tout a newly implemented electricity consumption tax, they quietly retained a massive retail sales and use tax exemption for these technology giants through the year 2035. This corporate carve-out represents […
- Virginia Regulators Approve Data Center Power Line Route Through Ashburn Neighborhood
The Virginia State Corporation Commission has issued a final order approving Route 3A for the Golden-Mars transmission line project proposed by Dominion Energy. This route will involve the construction of approximately 185-foot tall power line structures passing through portions of the Loudoun Valley Estates subdivision in Ashburn. The decision addresses the need for additional electrical […]
- John McGuire faces primary test as Democrats eye more competitive 5th District race
U.S. Rep. John McGuire may have breathed a sigh of relief after courts last month invalidated Virginia’s voter-approved redistricting amendment, which would have made the state’s 5th congressional District more favorable to Democrats. But the Goochland Republican still enters his first reelection campaign facing turbulence, including accusations that he has done little for constituents and […]