Virginia pushes SB619 and SB339 to reform data centers

The Piedmont Environmental Council (PECVA) is urging Virginians to contact their state delegates to support SB619 and SB339 this week.

• Main announcement/action: PECVA asks supporters to call or write delegates to back SB619 (would require a Certificate of Operation from the SCC for new “high-load facilities” >90 MW after Jan 1, 2027, and mandate SCC review of ratepayer impacts, grid reliability, and environmental impacts) and SB339 (directs SCC to review and adjust transmission cost allocation, with the SCC review due by Jan 1, 2027 and Phase II utilities required to provide three cost-allocation proposals including a Probability of Dispatch option by Jan 1, 2028). The House may vote as early as Feb. 24.
• Background and details: PECVA cites Dominion Energy data showing contracts topping 70 GW and Dominion’s IRP estimating >$28 billion (USD) in transmission costs to meet 2040 demand; notes Virginia has >500 data centers with roughly 5x that in the pipeline, a current claimed data-center power share of 25-40%, and an existing data center tax exemption exceeding $1.6 billion (USD).