The commonwealth's first female governor faces a slew of challenges, but none may be greater and more urgent than ensuring Virginia has the energy necessary to remain the leader in data centers.
Reposting, from Ms. Sargeant's comments, actions that regular people can take:
"Be sure to follow SCC. Make a public comment on its website, even if it's one sentence on the DOMINION ENERGY RATE CASE: 'Residential Ratepayers should not have to bear the burden of funding this billion dollar DATA CENTER industry. SCC create a NEW rate class for DATA CENTERS!' "
"A SCC technical conference is scheduled for December 12, 2025, to discuss DATA CENTER load flexibility and the interconnection of large loads, building on discussions from a December 2024 conference."
"Dominion Energy Rate Case: The SCC is reviewing Dominion Energy's proposal for rate increases, which includes a new rate class specifically for DATA CENTERS. Hearings and public comment periods for this proposal are happening now."
Interesting how Abagail now proposes to fix what she voted for: the skyrocketing costs of gasoline, diesel, fuel oil, electricity, propane, and natural gas, all done under the Biden energy policies. Will she propose the standard fix of Democrats: throw taxpayer money at it and claim victory?
Bribing the People with their own money, has been her modus ever since she got into politics and she brags on it.
Thank you to 'Advance' for pointing out at the beginning of the 11-20-25 article 'Energy Governor, Abigail Spanberger', that the DATA CENTER industry partially funds it. Local DATA CENTER developer of 'Celebrate VA' located near the Fred Nats ball park for 8-12 DATA CENTERS near the apts with children and the residences for seniors at 'Jubilation': Stack Infrastructure.
Response to this article's quote: "A key policy that would ensure large-energy users will continue to bear their share of the costs in the future is currently before the State Corporation Commission. This policy idea was first posited in the (12-9-2024, General Assembly) JLARC."
A 2024 study by the Virginia Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) found that while DATA CENTERS currently pay their full cost of 'service', THEIR RAPIDLY GROWING ENERGY DEMANDS ARE LIKELY TO INCREASE COST FOR OTHER UTILITY CUSTOMERS, i.e, THE RATEPAYERS.
'US': the lil' ole 22401 Davids deciding if it's cheaper to buy the store brand or name brand 'on sale' mac and cheese box for dinner tonight.
Contrast that 'kitchen table' budget of the David RATEPAYERS to this Goliath billion-dollar worldwide industry.
The Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) is exploring regulatory changes to address concerns that RESIDENTIAL ('Us!') and small business ratepayers are unfairly subsidizing the massive infrastructure required for data center expansion.
Key Findings and Actions
Current Cost Allocation: Under the current rate structure, the costs for new energy infrastructure (transmission lines, substations, and power generation facilities) are spread across ALLLLLLLLL of the Virginia energy monopoly: Dominion Energy's CUSTOMER base.
'Us!'. Hidden fees embedded in our power bills.
This effectively means that non-data center RATEPAYERS ('Us!') are helping fund the infrastructure build-out needed for the DATA CENTER billion dollar industry's explosive growth.
Energy Demand: DATA CENTERS are the primary driver of new energy demand in Virginia, with power needs projected to double or even triple in the coming decades. A single large DATA CENTER campus can consume as much electricity as a mid-sized city.
The showing of the Piedmont Environmental Council video, 'The Hidden Costs of the Cloud: DATA CENTERS in Virginia' (YouTube) at 22401 Dorothy Hart Community Center community meeting was funded by RESIDENTS chipping in the cost to rent the room, because no help was going to come from the city to inform us, the residents, of 'the other side of the DATA CENTERS story'.
The Council was under a sort of gag order (talk about 'fearful' that they'd spill the beans to us) to seal the city's admitted rushed timeline of a 'done deal' with Stack Infrastructure by 2-25-25.
They made sure to 'socialize' (brainwash) residents, like the PTA mommies, into what a deal they were getting.
FOIA Email request shows Curry Roberts, UMW Fredericksburg Regional Alliance propose the plan for 'socializing' only positive messaging of DATA CENTERS with complicity in this covert ops by Councilors Frye, Gerlach, Holmes.
In the PEC video, the graphic shows the power consumption of only ONE DATA CENTER = 15,000 households.
Financial Risk: The immense and unconstrained demand creates financial risks for utilities and their customers. Consumer advocates argue that RESIDENTIAL and small business customers should not bear the financial brunt, 'the burden' of this industry's expansion or the risk of overbuilt infrastructure if demand forecasts prove inaccurate.
Anyone remember the infamous 'brownouts' decades ago in the Spotswood Furnace Rd area of Spotsylvania Co.? How residents couldn't run their dishwashers, dryers? What about the residents with COPD on Oxygen with back up generators in case the power browns or blackouts?
Just imagine what RESIDENTS in 22401 will go through with all the new gadgets/appliances out there now. Who gets the power?
The DATA CENTERS. not the residents.
DATA CENTERS will get the power allocation over the RATEPAYERS, the residents.
SCC Involvement: The Virginia SCC is actively engaged in the issue. In late 2024, the Commission scheduled a technical conference to discuss a new rate structure for high-energy users and explore options for assigning specific infrastructure costs directly to DATA CENTERS.
Not 'Us!', the ratepayers.
The SCC's decisions in this matter will set an important precedent for Virginia and other states.
Proposed Solutions: Advocacy groups, such as the Piedmont Environmental Council, The Sierra Club and yes locally, on Facebook 'Inform Fredericksburg' are pushing the SCC to require DATA CENTERS to pay for their own dedicated infrastructure, implement stricter, longer-term contracts, and create a specific rate class for large users to better reflect the true cost of their energy demands.
Only the SCC has the power to get some Consumer Protection for Us. the RATEPAYERS.
Dominion is a monopoly. The 'fox-guarding-the-henhouse'. Every year advocacy organizations try to get legislation passed to regulate DATA CENTERS. and at last minute, Dominion shuts it down.
Be sure to follow SCC. Make a public comment on its website, even if it's one sentence on the DOMINION ENERGY RATE CASE: 'Residential Ratepayers should not have to bear the burden of funding this billion dollar DATA CENTER industry. SCC create a NEW rate class for DATA CENTERS!'
A SCC technical conference is scheduled for December 12, 2025, to discuss DATA CENTER load flexibility and the interconnection of large loads, building on discussions from a December 2024 conference.
Dominion Energy Rate Case: The SCC is reviewing Dominion Energy's proposal for rate increases, which includes a new rate class specifically for DATA CENTERS. Hearings and public comment periods for this proposal are happening now.
Reposting, from Ms. Sargeant's comments, actions that regular people can take:
"Be sure to follow SCC. Make a public comment on its website, even if it's one sentence on the DOMINION ENERGY RATE CASE: 'Residential Ratepayers should not have to bear the burden of funding this billion dollar DATA CENTER industry. SCC create a NEW rate class for DATA CENTERS!' "
"A SCC technical conference is scheduled for December 12, 2025, to discuss DATA CENTER load flexibility and the interconnection of large loads, building on discussions from a December 2024 conference."
"Dominion Energy Rate Case: The SCC is reviewing Dominion Energy's proposal for rate increases, which includes a new rate class specifically for DATA CENTERS. Hearings and public comment periods for this proposal are happening now."
Interesting how Abagail now proposes to fix what she voted for: the skyrocketing costs of gasoline, diesel, fuel oil, electricity, propane, and natural gas, all done under the Biden energy policies. Will she propose the standard fix of Democrats: throw taxpayer money at it and claim victory?
Bribing the People with their own money, has been her modus ever since she got into politics and she brags on it.
. Please investigate the demand side of data centers. What are they doing to reduce energy needs and is there a robust R&D program underway?
Thank you to 'Advance' for pointing out at the beginning of the 11-20-25 article 'Energy Governor, Abigail Spanberger', that the DATA CENTER industry partially funds it. Local DATA CENTER developer of 'Celebrate VA' located near the Fred Nats ball park for 8-12 DATA CENTERS near the apts with children and the residences for seniors at 'Jubilation': Stack Infrastructure.
Response to this article's quote: "A key policy that would ensure large-energy users will continue to bear their share of the costs in the future is currently before the State Corporation Commission. This policy idea was first posited in the (12-9-2024, General Assembly) JLARC."
A 2024 study by the Virginia Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (JLARC) found that while DATA CENTERS currently pay their full cost of 'service', THEIR RAPIDLY GROWING ENERGY DEMANDS ARE LIKELY TO INCREASE COST FOR OTHER UTILITY CUSTOMERS, i.e, THE RATEPAYERS.
'US': the lil' ole 22401 Davids deciding if it's cheaper to buy the store brand or name brand 'on sale' mac and cheese box for dinner tonight.
Contrast that 'kitchen table' budget of the David RATEPAYERS to this Goliath billion-dollar worldwide industry.
The Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) is exploring regulatory changes to address concerns that RESIDENTIAL ('Us!') and small business ratepayers are unfairly subsidizing the massive infrastructure required for data center expansion.
Key Findings and Actions
Current Cost Allocation: Under the current rate structure, the costs for new energy infrastructure (transmission lines, substations, and power generation facilities) are spread across ALLLLLLLLL of the Virginia energy monopoly: Dominion Energy's CUSTOMER base.
'Us!'. Hidden fees embedded in our power bills.
This effectively means that non-data center RATEPAYERS ('Us!') are helping fund the infrastructure build-out needed for the DATA CENTER billion dollar industry's explosive growth.
Energy Demand: DATA CENTERS are the primary driver of new energy demand in Virginia, with power needs projected to double or even triple in the coming decades. A single large DATA CENTER campus can consume as much electricity as a mid-sized city.
The showing of the Piedmont Environmental Council video, 'The Hidden Costs of the Cloud: DATA CENTERS in Virginia' (YouTube) at 22401 Dorothy Hart Community Center community meeting was funded by RESIDENTS chipping in the cost to rent the room, because no help was going to come from the city to inform us, the residents, of 'the other side of the DATA CENTERS story'.
The Council was under a sort of gag order (talk about 'fearful' that they'd spill the beans to us) to seal the city's admitted rushed timeline of a 'done deal' with Stack Infrastructure by 2-25-25.
They made sure to 'socialize' (brainwash) residents, like the PTA mommies, into what a deal they were getting.
FOIA Email request shows Curry Roberts, UMW Fredericksburg Regional Alliance propose the plan for 'socializing' only positive messaging of DATA CENTERS with complicity in this covert ops by Councilors Frye, Gerlach, Holmes.
In the PEC video, the graphic shows the power consumption of only ONE DATA CENTER = 15,000 households.
Financial Risk: The immense and unconstrained demand creates financial risks for utilities and their customers. Consumer advocates argue that RESIDENTIAL and small business customers should not bear the financial brunt, 'the burden' of this industry's expansion or the risk of overbuilt infrastructure if demand forecasts prove inaccurate.
Anyone remember the infamous 'brownouts' decades ago in the Spotswood Furnace Rd area of Spotsylvania Co.? How residents couldn't run their dishwashers, dryers? What about the residents with COPD on Oxygen with back up generators in case the power browns or blackouts?
Just imagine what RESIDENTS in 22401 will go through with all the new gadgets/appliances out there now. Who gets the power?
The DATA CENTERS. not the residents.
DATA CENTERS will get the power allocation over the RATEPAYERS, the residents.
SCC Involvement: The Virginia SCC is actively engaged in the issue. In late 2024, the Commission scheduled a technical conference to discuss a new rate structure for high-energy users and explore options for assigning specific infrastructure costs directly to DATA CENTERS.
Not 'Us!', the ratepayers.
The SCC's decisions in this matter will set an important precedent for Virginia and other states.
Proposed Solutions: Advocacy groups, such as the Piedmont Environmental Council, The Sierra Club and yes locally, on Facebook 'Inform Fredericksburg' are pushing the SCC to require DATA CENTERS to pay for their own dedicated infrastructure, implement stricter, longer-term contracts, and create a specific rate class for large users to better reflect the true cost of their energy demands.
Only the SCC has the power to get some Consumer Protection for Us. the RATEPAYERS.
Dominion is a monopoly. The 'fox-guarding-the-henhouse'. Every year advocacy organizations try to get legislation passed to regulate DATA CENTERS. and at last minute, Dominion shuts it down.
Be sure to follow SCC. Make a public comment on its website, even if it's one sentence on the DOMINION ENERGY RATE CASE: 'Residential Ratepayers should not have to bear the burden of funding this billion dollar DATA CENTER industry. SCC create a NEW rate class for DATA CENTERS!'
A SCC technical conference is scheduled for December 12, 2025, to discuss DATA CENTER load flexibility and the interconnection of large loads, building on discussions from a December 2024 conference.
Dominion Energy Rate Case: The SCC is reviewing Dominion Energy's proposal for rate increases, which includes a new rate class specifically for DATA CENTERS. Hearings and public comment periods for this proposal are happening now.