Virginia bills aim to address data centers’ wild growth

By Mika Travis | 01/15/2025 06:20 AM EST

The energy-intensive buildings have spread rapidly in northern Virginia, driving up electricity demand and cost.

A data center in Ashburn, Virginia.

A data center in Ashburn, Virginia, is shown. Nathan Howard/AFP via Getty Images

Virginia legislators on Tuesday announced a suite of bills to address the booming data center market’s effects on the state’s energy grid and environment.

The bipartisan legislative package is in response to northern Virginia becoming one of the world’s largest data center hubs, and includes bills aimed at rising energy costs, increasing state oversight of the industry and encouraging energy efficiency practices. It comes as Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) said the state “should continue to be the data center capital of the world” in his annual State of the Commonwealth address Monday.

“If we fail to act, the unchecked growth of the data center industry will leave Virginia’s families, will leave their businesses footing the bill for infrastructure costs, adjoining environmental degradation and facing escalating energy rates,” Virginia state Sen. Russet Perry (D) said at the press conference announcing the legislative package. “The status quo is not sustainable.”

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In 2024, the Virginia General Assembly did not vote on any of the 17 bills on data centers that were introduced.

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