Virginia Data Center Intel

Recent Virginia data center news

• Jun 24, 2026

  Virginia Lawmakers Strike Data Center Tax Deal After Budget Standoff

  Virginia lawmakers approved a new electricity consumption tax on data center operators as part of the state’s biennial budget.

  • New tax details: The measure imposes an electricity consumption tax of $0.011 per kilowatt-hour on data center operators and was included in a roughly $75 billion biennial spending plan approved by the General Assembly (see HB30). The budget inclusion is described as a compromise that keeps a separate tax break intact.
  • Exemption and timeline: The package retains a sales-and-use tax exemption for data center operators that the Senate had proposed ending in 2027, which the article notes is eight years before its scheduled expiration. The announcement appears as a legislative budget action rather than a separate standalone policy release.
• Jun 24, 2026

  Construction employment rises in 30 states over past year, AGC reports

  The Associated General Contractors of America reported that construction employment increased in 30 states and the District of Columbia between May 2025 and May 2026.

  • Main announcement: AGC reported state construction employment increased in 30 states and D.C. between May 2025 and May 2026; Texas added 18,700 jobs (2.1%), North Carolina added 13,600, Wisconsin added 9,000, and Wisconsin posted the largest percentage increase (6.2%); California recorded the largest annual decline at 13,100 jobs (−1.5%).
  • Monthly detail and risks: From April to May, construction employment increased in 23 states and D.C., declined in 22 states, and was unchanged in 5 states; monthly leaders included Texas (+3,600) and Wisconsin (+2,900). AGC officials Ken Simonson and Jeffrey D. Shoaf cautioned that opposition to data center projects and uncertainty over federal transportation funding pose threats to future construction job growth.
• Jun 24, 2026

  Sunrun, Renew Home, and Tesla to aggregate 16GW of home energy resources across US for data center offtakers

  Sunrun, Renew Home and Tesla have announced a partnership to aggregate more than 16GW of residential energy capacity across the United States for sale to hyperscalers and utilities.

  • Aggregate capacity and mechanics: The partners say they will aggregate more than 16GW of residential capacity using hundreds of thousands of home battery systems (Sunrun, Tesla) and more than 8 million smart thermostats managed by Renew Home; the framework requires no new hardware, land, water, or interconnection from offtakers. Virginia availability cited as >300MW immediately, rising to at least 500MW by 2030; partners have also committed capacity to PJM’s Reliability Backstop which, if accepted, would unlock more than 1GW immediately with additional capacity in subsequent years.
  • Commercial terms and context: Capacity is being offered to hyperscalers and utilities on a first-come, first-served basis and is claimed to be deployable in months rather than years; the announcement is presented as a new commercial offering by the three companies and is positioned alongside a wider market trend (for example, Google’s recent 100MW VPP deal with Voltus).
• Jun 24, 2026

  100MW data center could be built in Wheeling, West Virginia

  Silicon Foundation has acquired a 15-acre, industrial-zoned site at 74 Warwood Avenue in Wheeling, West Virginia to develop a modular data center, with Stokes Inc named as the EPC contractor.

  • Main announcement: Silicon Foundation purchased a 15-acre parcel at 74 Warwood Avenue (former Centre Foundry) to build a 60,000 sq ft (5,575 sqm) data center; the site reportedly has an active 10MW grid connection with a defined path to 20-30MW and a longer-term 100MW campus, and Stokes Inc will act as EPC contractor. Timelines posted by Stokes list Phase 1 Q4 2026 and Phase 2 Q4 2027 but the company did not clarify whether those dates indicate start or completion of works.
  • Background & status: Local/state officials (West Virginia Office of Energy; Wheeling City Council) stated they have not received any applications for a data center project in Warwood/Ohio County; Silicon Foundation described plans as “in development, future details in due course”. Silicon Foundation was founded in January 2026 by Val Holovach and lists the Wheeling project as its sole site; Stokes lists other in-progress projects (12MW Compass Mining Oklahoma, 600MW near Niagara Falls NY, 6MW + BESS Buchanan VA).
• Jun 23, 2026

  Virginia Approves First-Ever Data Center Power Tax

  Virginia lawmakers approved budget legislation establishing a data center electricity consumption tax of $0.011 per kWh effective July 1, 2026; the bill now heads to Governor Abigail Spanberger.

  • New tax: establishes a data center electricity consumption tax of $0.011 per kWh on all electricity consumed by data centers (applies to utility-supplied, competitive retail providers, and self-generated/behind-the-meter power), effective July 1, 2026; legislative estimates project $600 million annually (about $1.2 billion over the two-year budget cycle). A continuously operating 500 MW facility is estimated to owe ~$48 million annually, and a 1 GW campus would owe nearly $100 million before refunds.
  • Implementation & scope: the State Corporation Commission will collect the tax monthly and must develop implementation guidelines within 60 days of budget passage; the law preserves the sales and use tax exemption for qualifying data center equipment, includes a refund mechanism returning collections above $600 million proportionally to operators, and explicitly excludes data centers from a separate utility rate carveout for large-load industrial customers (which applies to facilities with demand ≥25 MW and workforce ≥200, capped at 150 MW aggregate participation unless SCC approves a higher limit).
• Jun 23, 2026

  Budget Decisions Don’t Address Core Data Center Issues

  The Piedmont Environmental Council announced that Virginia’s General Assembly and the governor are continuing a $2-billion-per-year tax exemption for data centers while proposing an “electricity use tax” equal to one-third of that exemption.

  • Main announcement/action: The PEC criticizes the continuation of a $2-billion-per-year tax exemption for data centers and highlights a proposed “electricity use tax” that is one-third of that exemption; the PEC calls for the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) to assign data center infrastructure costs to data centers rather than ratepayers.
  • Background and other details: The statement notes the budget compromise does not direct allocation of costs for more than 200 substations and thousands of miles of transmission lines tied to data center demand; PEC President Chris Miller urges SCC action and references other states (Michigan, Georgia, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Vermont) that have proposed moratorium legislation on data center growth.
• Jun 23, 2026

  Data Centers Take Training into Their Own Hands Amid Talent Shortages

  Data center operators and vendors are launching in-house workforce development programs to address a growing shortage of technicians, engineers, electricians, and commissioning specialists that threatens project timelines and operations.

  • Main announcement: Companies including Digital Realty (New Hire Accelerate Pathways with DCD Academy), Johnson Controls (expanded JADEC training and development center), Kao Data (Critical Careers program), and Yondr (scholarships in Toronto, Northern Virginia, Belfast, and Slough) are rolling out structured training, apprenticeships, certifications, and partnerships with community colleges to create standardized, hands-on pipelines for data center roles; the industry is projected to need an additional 140,000 skilled workers by 2030.
  • Background and details: Programs emphasize hands-on learning, standardized onboarding, and modular training that blends vendor certification with facility experience; Digital Realty also partners with Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC) to build local skills pathways. Initiatives target hard-to-fill roles such as electrical engineers, commissioning engineers, HVAC/thermal specialists, and networking for AI fabrics, with implementation focused on employer-led upskilling and local recruitment rather than changes to four-year degree pipelines.
• Jun 19, 2026

  Fauquier Updates + Developments to Watch – Summer 2026

  PEC reports multiple development proposals in Fauquier County, including Dominion Energy’s 85-acre purchase near the Morrisville substation, PointOne’s revised Remington Tech Park fuel-cell power plan, and Williams Co.’s proposed Quantico Lateral gas pipeline.

  • Main actions and specifics:Dominion Energy purchased 85 acres adjacent to the Morrisville substation and is signaling plans to expand the existing substation or add a second substation; Dominion previously withdrew a local expansion proposal, then filed a CPCN with the State Corporation Commission (SCC) to advance the project despite local opposition. PointOne submitted revised Remington Tech Park plans proposing natural gas fuel cells instead of turbines; the Fauquier Board of Supervisors could hear the fuel-cell application as soon as July 9. Also, 760 of Longwood Farm’s 774 acres has been protected by conservation easement.

  • Background and related details: The proposed Joshua Falls-Yeat 750 kV transmission project would run up to 115 miles across multiple Piedmont counties (to serve data center demand); the Remington Digital Campus application is now about half the originally proposed 2.2 million sq ft and the developer claims a Dominion power commitment (no onsite primary power). Williams Co. has contacted landowners offering $500 for survey access related to the Power Express Expansion Project – Quantico Lateral; Protect Catlett is organizing local response. Planning Commission review of Remington Digital is expected in July 2026.

• Jun 19, 2026

  Episode for June 19, 2026

  Governor Shapiro’s office offered to streamline permitting for Amazon.

  • Governor Shapiro’s office offered to streamline permitting for Amazon: Investigative reporting by Jael Holzman (Heatmap News) examined emails between the Governor’s office and Amazon revealing outreach to court new data centers as public opposition to AI data centers in Pennsylvania has grown. Key entity: Office of Governor Josh Shapiro; reporter: Jael Holzman; action: offer to streamline permitting for Amazon (reported, based on reviewed emails).
  • Other environmental actions and notices described: the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is accepting public comment on a proposed wastewater discharge permit for the Rustic Ridge coal mine that would allow 2.8M gallons of treated wastewater into a Laurel Highlands trout stream; coverage also highlights the American burying beetle recovery effort, the century-old fire tower wildfire-detection system, and a coalition of conservation groups in Westmoreland County seeking property owners to support monarch butterflies.
• Jun 18, 2026

  FirstEnergy to Update Rappahannock Board on Page-Sperryville Line Upgrade Project

  PEC (Piedmont Environmental Council) has called on the Rappahannock community to attend the Rappahannock Board of Supervisors meeting on July 6 to press FirstEnergy for greater transparency on the Page–Sperryville transmission line rebuild and to request a cost estimate for undergrounding at U.S. Route 211.

  • Main action: PEC is urging public attendance at the Rappahannock Board of Supervisors update meeting so citizens can question FirstEnergy about the proposed 14-mile, 138-kV Page–Sperryville rebuild and demand a cost estimate for undergrounding the line at the U.S. Route 211 entrance to historic Sperryville.

    • Date/Time: Monday, July 6 at 2 p.m.
    • Location: Regular daytime supervisors’ meeting (Rappahannock Board of Supervisors — see county board page).
    • Agenda/Subject: FirstEnergy and Rappahannock Electric Coop will give an update; public forum available for questions and concerns.

  • Background and details: PEC states FirstEnergy has refused to provide substantive planning details (saying “this information will be available when our application is made to the SCC”), has declined a mediated Q&A, and only asserted that “putting the line underground would greatly increase costs and could create more impacts for landowners.” PEC notes FirstEnergy is expected to file with the State Corporation Commission (SCC) this summer, requests exploration of undergrounding the visible section at U.S. Route 211, and also urges contacting the Virginia General Assembly and Governor Spanberger to pause new data center approvals and end the $1.9 billion tax exemption.