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Virginia Data Center Intel
Latest data center news, projects, power and policy across Virginia — updated daily.
Recent Virginia data center news
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Blackstone to Acquire 774-MW Virginia Gas Plant in ‘Data Center Alley’ in Reported $1B Deal
US-based Blackstone has acquired the 774-MW Potomac Energy Center, a natural gas power plant in Virginia, for approximately \$1 billion. The plant supplies power to the data center market and has the potential to integrate hydrogen fuel in the future. This investment highlights Blackstone’s commitment to electric infrastructure for AI innovation and addresses growing power demand.
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The 2025 outlook for data center cooling
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Liberty Energy, DC Grid partner on off-grid power for data centers and EV hubs
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Biden vows to speed permitting for data centers, clean energy
The US President Joe Biden issued an executive order to accelerate the construction of AI data centers and clean energy infrastructure. The Department of Energy and Department of Defense will select federal sites for gigawatt-scale data centers, while the Department of the Interior will identify land for clean energy infrastructure. Developers must use clean energy to match data center needs. The order aims to expedite permitting and transmission development, prioritizing clean energy and responsible nuclear energy deployment. Examples of recent data center projects include a $1 billion Microsoft data center in Indiana, an $800 million Meta data center in Alabama, and a $630 million digital data center in Northern Virginia.
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Materials costs, workforce gaps will shape 2025 activity
President Biden banned new offshore oil drilling along much of the US coast. This action aims to protect marine habitats and reduce carbon emissions from fossil fuel extraction.
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Solar projects on the horizon for Meta, D. E. Shaw Renewable Investments
US-based D. E. Shaw Renewable Investments (DESRI) and Meta signed two long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) for a 250 MW solar facility in Missouri and a 150 MW solar facility in Texas. These projects, expected to be operational before 2027, add to their existing portfolio in Arkansas, Utah, and Virginia. Meta, a top corporate solar user in the U.S., aims to match its electricity usage with 100% clean and renewable energy.
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Planning cools again on slower data center growth
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Meta seeks up to 4 GW of new nuclear power to help meet AI, sustainability objectives
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Meta seeks up to 4GW of new nuclear to power data centers and AI
US-based Meta has announced plans to procure 1-4GW of new nuclear power generation for its data centers and AI operations, starting in early 2030s. The company has released an RFP seeking both small modular reactors (SMRs) and larger nuclear reactors, with proposals due by February 2025. Other tech giants including Google and Amazon have also made similar moves, with Google partnering with Kairos Power for 500MW by 2035, and Amazon signing agreements for SMR development in Virginia and Washington state.
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A Virginia proposal would give the state a role in siting solar and storage over 20 MW
The Virginia Commission on Electric Utility Regulation has proposed new standards for siting and permitting of solar and storage projects. The proposal includes creating an advisory board to determine critical interconnection projects, developing a statewide ordinance for siting and permitting, and requiring regional energy plans to meet state renewable portfolio standards. The plan includes $4 million in funding for regional energy planning and establishes renewable portfolio standards of 41% by 2030 and 100% by 2045 for Dominion Energy.