Virginia Data Center Intel

Recent Virginia data center news

• Jan 28, 2026

  Proposed West Virginia power plant raises pollution risks for Tucker County and nearby residents and could cost $35 million annually in health damage, independent analysis finds

  Tucker United commissioned an independent analysis finding the proposed Ridgeline gas- and diesel-fired power plant and associated data center complex could impose up to $35 million annually in health-related damages.

  • Main finding and analysis: The independent study, led by a Harvard-affiliated environmental health scientist (Michael Cork), used the EPA’s COBRA health-impact model and PM2.5 dispersion estimates sourced from Fundamental Data’s air permit application; it estimates $19 million–$35 million in annual health-related damages and increased PM2.5 exposure for more than 250,000 people across West Virginia, Virginia, and Maryland. The report is available at http://www.tuckerunited.com/study.
  • Context, assumptions, and procedural details: The study was commissioned after the WVDEP granted the air permit in August 2025 while declining to perform air dispersion modeling; the analysis assumes the facility operates within permitted emission limits, does not account for additional pollutants, non-routine operations, or frequent temperature inversions in Canaan Valley (which could increase real-world exposures). Tucker County currently generates $85 million annually from tourism, noted as background economic context.
• Jan 27, 2026

  Prime Data Centers uses closed-loop air and liquid cooling to earn Energy Star certifications

  Prime Data Centers announced that two of its computing facilities in Dallas and Sacramento earned U.S. EPA Energy Star certification.

  • Main announcement:Prime Data Centers earned Energy Star certification for its Dallas (20-MW) and Sacramento (26-MW) facilities, citing efficiency-driven design, advanced monitoring and benchmarking, and the use of closed-loop air and liquid cooling; the company says both facilities are committed to 100% renewable energy and reported 83% waste diversion at active U.S. construction sites in 2024.
  • Background and commitments: The company’s 2025 sustainability report states it will pursue Energy Star certification for all eligible U.S. data centers, pilot “zero waste to landfill” construction, and aims to use hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) by 2030 as the main backup-generator fuel; the article also notes 25 major U.S. data center projects were abandoned in 2025, and peers such as Microsoft and OpenAI have pledged to “pay their way” for grid upgrades to support new data centers.
• Jan 26, 2026

  EPA moves toward changing particulate matter standard as manufacturers urge action

  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is moving to revisit and ask the court to vacate the Biden-era annual PM2.5 standard of nine micrograms per cubic meter.

  • Main action: The EPA filed a motion in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit asking the court to vacate the March 2024 PM2.5 annual standard (lowered from 12 µg/m3 to 9 µg/m3). The agency said the Biden EPA took a “regulatory shortcut” and failed to adequately consider compliance costs; EPA urged vacatur before the initial nonattainment determinations due on Feb. 7 and states’ implementation plans due in April.
  • Background and details: Industry groups including NAM and 15 trade associations (e.g., SMA, Aluminum Association, American Cement Association) have pressed the Trump administration to revert the standard; EPA previously estimated the 2024 rule could prevent 4,500 premature deaths and 290,000 lost workdays, with monetized benefits of $22 billion to $46 billion and $590 million in estimated costs by 2032. A 2025 ACA report estimated 1 million metric tons of cement needed for AI data centers by 2028 and projects U.S. data centers rising from 5,426 to 6,000 by 2027.
• Jan 26, 2026

  How Hyperscale AI Is Remaking the Power Grid

  Industrial Info Resources (IIR) reported at PowerGen International that the US has approximately $2.4 trillion in AI data center development underway.

  • Key announcement: IIR presented at PowerGen International (Jan. 20-22, 2026) that the US accounts for about $2.4 trillion in AI data center development and that global announced and ongoing data center investment ≈ $3.2 trillion; IIR also reported roughly 296 GW of cumulative planned capacity in the US with more than 70 projects ≥ 1 GW and projected US electricity demand rising from ~23 GW (2023) to ~42 GW (today) and on target to surpass 90 GW by 2030.
  • Details and context: IIR outlined concentration by state (Texas ~$517 billion, Virginia ~$344 billion, Georgia ~$217 billion, Missouri ~$121 billion, Arizona ~$102 billion), noted month-over-month investment velocity (more than $100 billion announced per month over the past year; October 2025 > $350 billion), and described near-term procurement strategies including gas turbines (booked through end of decade), reciprocating engines, BESS, and partnerships on nuclear; timeline compression pressures require many projects to deliver generation and interconnection within 12–24 months.
• Jan 25, 2026

  Two Bills with potential to pause data center approvals and plan responsibly for the future

  The Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) supports Virginia bills HB1515 and HB155 to pause hyperscale data center approvals and require stricter review before high-load facilities begin operation.

  • Main announcement: PEC supports HB1515 (Del. Irene Shin) which would impose a temporary moratorium on local data center approvals for hyperscale proposals until pending requests for interconnection to the grid have been fulfilled; the measure is promoted as a pause to let the infrastructure catch up and address power availability for Northern Virginia projects.
  • Background and additional details: PEC also supports HB155 (Del. Josh Thomas) which would require the State Corporation Commission to review grid capacity and reliability, effects on other customer bills, environmental and public health impacts, and alignment with state clean energy policy before issuing a certificate of operation; PEC cites the certificate plus the HB1515 pause as a combined approach to enable proper planning and oversight.

  Media contact: Mike Doble, PEC Communications, mdoble@pecva.org

  Related documents: HB1515, HB155, PEC Op-Ed (links provided in document_urls).

• Jan 23, 2026

  Unplugged: Data Centers Embrace Onsite Power to Break Free from the Grid

  Bloom Energy has released a new data center power report announcing plans and survey findings.

  • Bloom Energy report:One-third of hyperscalers and colocation providers plan to bring power production entirely onsite by 2030; demand for onsite power rose 22% versus six months earlier based on a double-blind survey of 152 decision-makers (hyperscalers, colocation developers, utilities, GPU service providers). The report also states over 50% of new data center campuses are expected to exceed 500 MW by 2035 and identifies a power expectation gap where utilities estimate delivery times 1.5–2 years longer than developers anticipate.
  • Geography and alternatives: The report projects Texas could secure nearly 30% of the US data center market by 2028 and Georgia’s market share to grow by 75%, while established markets (California, Oregon) may decline by more than 50%; it cites fuel cells and behind-the-meter solutions as growing alternatives and references a Research and Markets projection of the fuel cell market reaching $28.4 billion by 2031.
• Jan 23, 2026

  Episode for January 23, 2026

  The Allegheny Front published a podcast episode summarizing multiple regional environmental issues on January 23, 2026.

  • Episode coverage: The podcast discusses a study of Eastern wildfire risk, residents’ concerns about fracking wastewater contaminating drinking water in an eastern Ohio town, the closure of Pittsburgh’s newspaper of record, and a Pennsylvania policy hearing where lawmakers and consumer advocates blamed new data centers for rising home energy prices.
  • Additional details: The episode also covers the Pennsylvania Game Commission considering moving the firearms deer season start to the Saturday before Thanksgiving, and researchers investigating removal of microplastics and PFAS from drinking water; it quotes the Pennsylvania consumer advocate saying “Data centers must pay their own way.”
    • Episode date: January 23, 2026
    • Episode duration: 29:24
• Jan 22, 2026

  CBRE’s 2026 Data Center Outlook: Demand Surges as Delivery Becomes the Constraint

  CBRE announced its 2026 U.S. data center outlook and confirmed the acquisition of Pearce Services (announced November 4, 2025), positioning the firm to address power and execution constraints in large-scale data center delivery.

  • Main announcement: CBRE’s outlook finds the U.S. data center market constrained by power delivery rather than land, capital, or connectivity; developers and occupiers now prioritize sites capable of supporting 300-MW-plus deliveries within 36 months, with preleasing expected in the mid-70% range and construction/interconnection timelines commonly extending 24–48 months for incremental generation or transmission upgrades.
  • Acquisition and execution detail: CBRE acquired Pearce Services (announced Nov 4, 2025) for approximately $1.2 billion in cash plus an earn-out up to $115 million; Pearce is forecast to generate > $660 million revenue and > $90 million EBITDA in 2026, and CBRE expects to produce > $350 million of Core EBITDA from its digital and power infrastructure services businesses in 2026; financial advisors included J.P. Morgan Securities and Wells Fargo, with legal advisers Sullivan & Cromwell (CBRE) and Ropes & Gray (Pearce/New Mountain Capital).
• Jan 22, 2026

  Can rising power demand boost renewables above policy obstacles in 2026?

  The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) set new July 4 construction deadlines and strict FEOC rules that curtail many Inflation Reduction Act tax credits and have immediate implications for project eligibility.

  • OBBBA actions and timelines: The OBBBA established a July 4 construction commencement deadline to qualify wind and solar projects for IRA production and investment tax credits; the FEOC rule went into effect Dec. 31, 2025 with Treasury guidance pending; the residential solar credit sunsetted at the end of 2025; commercial projects that commence construction by July 4 can qualify if placed in service by Dec. 31, 2030, while projects that do not commence construction by July 4 may still qualify if placed in service by Dec. 31, 2027.
  • Industry response and state actions: Developers (e.g., DSD Renewables) are triaging projects into mature / less-mature / at-risk buckets and cancelling or down-sizing projects that cannot meet deadlines; Treasury eliminated the 5% safe harbor test for >1.5 MW projects; states like Illinois (CRGA: 3 GW storage by 2030) and California (SB-254 transmission investment accelerator) are pursuing measures to speed transmission, interconnection and storage deployment; the Department of the Interior has issued stop-work orders and cancelled the environmental review for the 6.2-GW Esmeralda 7 project, and Dominion Energy has stated its 2.6 GW CVOW project will serve large data center demand.
• Jan 22, 2026

  HB155/SB619 Could Create Real Data Center Reform

  PECVA is urging Virginians to support HB155/SB619 to establish state-level oversight for new data centers via SCC Certificates of Operation.

  • Main announcement: PECVA calls on supporters to back HB155/SB619, bills sponsored by Delegate Josh Thomas (House) and Senator Srinivasan (Senate), which would require any new “high-load facility” (demanding >25 megawatts) to obtain a Certificate of Operation from the State Corporation Commission (SCC); the bill is currently being considered in a House Labor and Commerce Subcommittee. Key concrete facts: Virginia hosts over 500 data centers, there is a pipeline estimated at ~5× that number, and PECVA cites an estimated $1.6 billion a year in tax/subsidy impacts to the state. The email urges a temporary pause on approvals so state agencies can assess cumulative impacts.

  • Background/details: The bill would require the SCC to evaluate Ratepayer Protection, Grid Reliability, and Environmental Impact (alignment with state clean energy goals and cumulative public health/natural resource effects). PECVA links supporting materials (JLARC utility usage estimates showing typical proposals of 60–90MW), provides advocacy action links, and includes contact information for Julie Bolthouse, Director of Land Use (jbolthouse@pecva.org).