Whether one agrees or disagrees with data centers, the arbitrary way the Stafford Board of Supervisors made critical decisions that could profoundly affect the county's finances deserves scrutiny.
'Why a county that has long worked to bring in data centers, recognizing their potential to strengthen the county’s finances and shore up its infrastructure, is now arbitrarily changing standards?'
Because they're seeing the negative effect on the residents of Prince William, Loudoun, Fairfax, and Fauquier counties who do have DATA CENTERS and are rising in opposition as a David to the Goliaths of the billion-dollar DATA CENTER industry.
NBC4 Washington: Inside Virginia's DATA CENTER boom:
Cities/Counties in Virginia should have diversified their revenue stream. Instead of putting all their eggs in DATA CENTERS. like Aesop's fable of 'the goose that lays the golden egg', it doesn't turn out well for the goose.
These DATA CENTERS consume a significant portion of the local electricity supply, leading to concerns about cost and sustainability.
Local impact and controversy
Residents near data centers have complained about noise from 24/7 cooling systems and the loss of sunlight.
Some locals have pushed back against new data center developments, leading to legal battles and increased scrutiny from local governments.
A 2025 report noted that unrestricted growth could cost the state billions.
Regulatory and political developments
Virginia lawmakers have considered stricter regulations for data centers, although some legislation has faced opposition.
Local governments, such as Prince George's County, MD and Stafford County VA, have been re-evaluating their data center policies.
Virginia General Assembly 12-9-24 JLARC Joint Legislative Audit Review Committee. Chapter 6, p. 73. 'Local Residential Impacts'. DATA CENTERS should be located in Industrial zones. https://jlarc.virginia.gov/pdfs/reports/Rpt598.pdf
DATA CENTERS create additional financial risks to electric utilities and their customers. Even if there is no DATA CENTER proposed in a locality, all 'ratepayers' in the Commonwealth of Virginia are paying the DATA CENTER hidden fees in their power bills.
Loudoun Co passed an ordinance to 'decouple' these DATA CENTER fees from the power bill so their residents can actually see the hidden fees they're paying. In Fredericksburg 22401, public comment made to the FXBG Economic Development and the City Council to pass a similar ordinance to 'decouple' the fees. Crickets.
p.X JLARC: Direct Dominion Energy to develop a plan for addressing the risk of infrastructure costs being stranded with existing customers, and file that plan with the State Corporation Commission;
• Expressly authorize local governments to require and consider water use estimates for proposed data center developments;
• Expressly authorize local governments to require sound modeling studies for proposed data center developments; and
• Expressly authorize local governments to establish and enforce maximum allowable sound levels for operational data center facilities using alternative low-frequency metrics and zoning ordinances.
p. xi JLARC: RECOMMENDATION 1
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership should clarify in site characterization and development guidelines that potential data center sites are eligible for grants under the Virginia Business Ready Sites Program. (Chapter 2)
RECOMMENDATION 2
The General Assembly may wish to consider amending the Code of Virginia to clarify that electric utilities have the authority to delay, but not deny, service to customers when the addition of customer load cannot be supported by the transmission system or available generation capacity. (Chapter 3)
RECOMMENDATION 3
The General Assembly may wish to consider amending the Code of Virginia to expand the Accelerated Renewable Buyers program, which allows large customers of energy utilities to claim credit for purchases of solar and wind energy to offset certain utility charges, to also allow customers to claim partial credit for purchases of capacity from battery energy storage systems based on the current PJM electric load-carrying capacity rating. (Chapter 3)
RECOMMENDATION 4
The General Assembly may wish to consider amending the Code of Virginia to require
that utilities establish a demand response program for large data center customers and to require that these customers participate in the program. (Chapter 3) Commission draft
RECOMMENDATION 5
The General Assembly may wish to consider amending the Code of Virginia to direct
Dominion Energy to develop a plan for addressing the risk of generation and transmission infrastructure costs being stranded with existing customers and file that plan with the State Corporation Commission as part of its biennial rate review filing or as a separate filing. (Chapter 4)
RECOMMENDATION 6
The General Assembly may wish to consider amending the Code of Virginia to expressly authorize local governments to (i) require proposed DATA CENTER developments to submit water use estimates and (ii) consider water use when making rezoning and special use permit decisions related to data center development. (Chapter 5)
RECOMMENDATION 7
The General Assembly may wish to consider amending the Code of Virginia to expressly authorize local governments to require sound modeling studies for DATA CENTER development projects prior to project approval. (Chapter 6)
RECOMMENDATION 8
The General Assembly may wish to consider amending the Code of Virginia to expressly authorize local governments to establish and enforce maximum allowable sound levels for DATA CENTER facilities, including (i) using alternative low-frequency noise metrics and (ii) setting noise rules and enforcement mechanisms in their zoning ordinances, separate from existing noise ordinances. (Chapter 6)
'Why a county that has long worked to bring in data centers, recognizing their potential to strengthen the county’s finances and shore up its infrastructure, is now arbitrarily changing standards?'
Because they're seeing the negative effect on the residents of Prince William, Loudoun, Fairfax, and Fauquier counties who do have DATA CENTERS and are rising in opposition as a David to the Goliaths of the billion-dollar DATA CENTER industry.
NBC4 Washington: Inside Virginia's DATA CENTER boom:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhL7j3zzrVc
Cities/Counties in Virginia should have diversified their revenue stream. Instead of putting all their eggs in DATA CENTERS. like Aesop's fable of 'the goose that lays the golden egg', it doesn't turn out well for the goose.
These DATA CENTERS consume a significant portion of the local electricity supply, leading to concerns about cost and sustainability.
Local impact and controversy
Residents near data centers have complained about noise from 24/7 cooling systems and the loss of sunlight.
Some locals have pushed back against new data center developments, leading to legal battles and increased scrutiny from local governments.
A 2025 report noted that unrestricted growth could cost the state billions.
Regulatory and political developments
Virginia lawmakers have considered stricter regulations for data centers, although some legislation has faced opposition.
Local governments, such as Prince George's County, MD and Stafford County VA, have been re-evaluating their data center policies.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAPusgiz4B8
https://www.potomaclocal.com/2025/08/07/data-centers-are-endangering-virginia/
Virginia General Assembly 12-9-24 JLARC Joint Legislative Audit Review Committee. Chapter 6, p. 73. 'Local Residential Impacts'. DATA CENTERS should be located in Industrial zones. https://jlarc.virginia.gov/pdfs/reports/Rpt598.pdf
DATA CENTERS create additional financial risks to electric utilities and their customers. Even if there is no DATA CENTER proposed in a locality, all 'ratepayers' in the Commonwealth of Virginia are paying the DATA CENTER hidden fees in their power bills.
Loudoun Co passed an ordinance to 'decouple' these DATA CENTER fees from the power bill so their residents can actually see the hidden fees they're paying. In Fredericksburg 22401, public comment made to the FXBG Economic Development and the City Council to pass a similar ordinance to 'decouple' the fees. Crickets.
p.X JLARC: Direct Dominion Energy to develop a plan for addressing the risk of infrastructure costs being stranded with existing customers, and file that plan with the State Corporation Commission;
• Expressly authorize local governments to require and consider water use estimates for proposed data center developments;
• Expressly authorize local governments to require sound modeling studies for proposed data center developments; and
• Expressly authorize local governments to establish and enforce maximum allowable sound levels for operational data center facilities using alternative low-frequency metrics and zoning ordinances.
p. xi JLARC: RECOMMENDATION 1
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership should clarify in site characterization and development guidelines that potential data center sites are eligible for grants under the Virginia Business Ready Sites Program. (Chapter 2)
RECOMMENDATION 2
The General Assembly may wish to consider amending the Code of Virginia to clarify that electric utilities have the authority to delay, but not deny, service to customers when the addition of customer load cannot be supported by the transmission system or available generation capacity. (Chapter 3)
RECOMMENDATION 3
The General Assembly may wish to consider amending the Code of Virginia to expand the Accelerated Renewable Buyers program, which allows large customers of energy utilities to claim credit for purchases of solar and wind energy to offset certain utility charges, to also allow customers to claim partial credit for purchases of capacity from battery energy storage systems based on the current PJM electric load-carrying capacity rating. (Chapter 3)
RECOMMENDATION 4
The General Assembly may wish to consider amending the Code of Virginia to require
that utilities establish a demand response program for large data center customers and to require that these customers participate in the program. (Chapter 3) Commission draft
RECOMMENDATION 5
The General Assembly may wish to consider amending the Code of Virginia to direct
Dominion Energy to develop a plan for addressing the risk of generation and transmission infrastructure costs being stranded with existing customers and file that plan with the State Corporation Commission as part of its biennial rate review filing or as a separate filing. (Chapter 4)
RECOMMENDATION 6
The General Assembly may wish to consider amending the Code of Virginia to expressly authorize local governments to (i) require proposed DATA CENTER developments to submit water use estimates and (ii) consider water use when making rezoning and special use permit decisions related to data center development. (Chapter 5)
RECOMMENDATION 7
The General Assembly may wish to consider amending the Code of Virginia to expressly authorize local governments to require sound modeling studies for DATA CENTER development projects prior to project approval. (Chapter 6)
RECOMMENDATION 8
The General Assembly may wish to consider amending the Code of Virginia to expressly authorize local governments to establish and enforce maximum allowable sound levels for DATA CENTER facilities, including (i) using alternative low-frequency noise metrics and (ii) setting noise rules and enforcement mechanisms in their zoning ordinances, separate from existing noise ordinances. (Chapter 6)
Lacks all context of the real, substantive harm that data centers do when sited near homes.
Thoughtful, thanks.