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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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Data center power loads threaten corporate net-zero goals
Data centers’ high energy demands challenge corporate net-zero goals, driving increased renewable investments.
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AEP data center and other commercial sales soar 12.4% in Q2
AEP’s Q2 commercial sales rose 12.4%, driven by data center demand. The company expects substantial growth, especially in Ohio and Texas. AEP purchased the 795-MW Green Country power plant in Oklahoma and plans to add 20.2 GW by 2033. Earnings dropped to $340.3 million, although operating earnings improved.
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Dominion miss on Virginia efficiency target could impact gas peaker approval
Dominion faces challenges in meeting energy savings targets in Virginia, affecting plans for constructing 250-MW combined cycle turbines in Chesterfield County. The SCC’s decision on using net vs. gross savings impacts this approval. Benforado notes Dominion’s marketing doesn’t drive all savings, urging improved efficiency programs to unlock more customer savings.
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Existing nuclear power plants are best behind-the-meter option for data centers: NEI paper
Data centers could double U.S. electricity demand by 2030. Nuclear plants are sought for colocation deals. Exelon and AEP opposed Amazon-Talen Energy plan, citing increased transmission costs. NEI’s Kormos supports aligning data centers with nuclear plants to ease grid strain and lower renewable curtailment. Constellation Energy backs the initiative for environmental benefits.
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Bipartisan Senate bill proposes $12B for DOE’s AI work to spur energy breakthroughs, other advances
A bipartisan Senate bill proposes $12B for DOE’s AI initiative FASST to improve energy solutions. DOE aims to utilize AI to enhance energy technologies and national security. Sen. Joe Manchin and Sen. Lisa Murkowski introduced the bill, emphasizing the importance of leveraging existing infrastructure for AI advancements.
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Data center, crypto operations in 10 states drive all US commercial power sales growth since 2019: EIA
Data centers in 10 states led 1% growth in US commercial electricity sales since 2019, per the EIA. Virginia, Texas, South Carolina, and Arizona saw significant demand growth, while North Dakota had the highest at 37%. The agency predicts a 3% increase in 2022 sales, influenced by large-scale computing facilities and crypto operations.
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Dominion Energy requests input on feasibility of building SMR at North Anna nuclear site
Dominion Energy is considering deploying a Small Modular Reactor (SMR) at the North Anna nuclear site in response to increased demand from Virginia’s growing data center industry. PJM Interconnection’s peak load forecasts influence Dominion’s plan to integrate up to 4.8 GW of nuclear capacity by 2048, including SMRs in the mid-2030s.
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Lack of power pushes rental increases in major U.S. data center markets: report
Rental prices in major U.S. data center markets are rising due to high demand from public cloud providers and AI companies. Northern Virginia leads in net absorption with 407.4 MW. Despite supply increases, data center availability is limited. Northern Virginia and Chicago saw leasing availability reductions, while Dallas-Fort Worth grew by 31.9%.
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Amazon meets 100% renewable energy goal seven years early
Amazon has achieved its goal of using 100% renewable energy for its global operations seven years ahead of schedule. The company is now the world’s largest corporate purchaser of renewable energy, investing in solar and wind projects globally. Amazon has enabled renewable energy projects in 27 countries, including utility-scale projects in India, Greece, South Africa, Japan, and Indonesia. They have also invested in solar and wind projects in India, launching utility-scale projects in 2022 with a total renewable energy capacity of 920 MW. These initiatives have generated significant investments, contributed to the country’s GDP, and created local job opportunities. Amazon’s efforts reflect its commitment to sustainability and decarbonization.
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Data center demand continues despite supply bottlenecks
Data center construction is thriving, with companies like MasTec and Fluor pushing to expand their presence in the sector. Market growth is fueled by institutional investments and increasing reliance on data centers. Challenges like supply chain delays and power constraints persist, urging industry professionals to adopt innovative solutions.