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Virginia Data Center Intel
Latest data center news, projects, power and policy across Virginia — updated daily.
Virginia · Construction & power moves · 40
full tracker →Land, power, and interconnection moves across Virginia — each traced to primary filings.
Top JUST IN — Virginia
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PJM proposes reliability standards for large-load ride-through (no docket)
Source: PJM Inside Lines · Sep 10, 2026PJM Inside Lines reports that PJM has proposed new interconnection reliability requirements for large loads, including data centers and crypto-mining facilities, to require facilities to stay connected during grid disturbances and “riding through” voltage and frequency excursions. The article says the proposal responds to a June 18 FERC order and that “PJM plans to file proposed solutions to FERC in November.”
Backed by 1 primary filing — sign in or book a call to see all sources.
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PJM, Dominion Review Large Load Transfer Event
Source: PJM Inside Lines · Aug 11, 2026PJM Inside Lines reports that PJM is reviewing changes to interconnection reliability requirements for Large Loads after a July 22 event in Virginia in which “nearly 4,000 MW of data center load trip offline unexpectedly.” The article also says FERC ordered NERC to create enforceable Reliability Standards for computational loads and that the first phase of new enforcement provisions is due Dec. 31, 2026.
Backed by 1 primary filing — sign in or book a call to see all sources.
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Opening Statement of Commissioner Christie to House Subcommittee on Energy, Climate, and Grid Security
Source: FERCFERC Commissioner Christie warned that U.S. grid reliability faces “potentially catastrophic consequences” as “unprecedented forecasts for demand increases” from “data centers, including Artificial Intelligence (AI)” collide with fast-retiring dispatchable generation and policy pressure. In PJM, he said, “PJM faces unprecedented load growth due to the proliferation of data centers,” while also noting that EPA power-plant rules could “forcibly” accelerate coal retirements and make new gas generation “extremely difficult, if not virtually impossible” to build. Christie also said the PJM interconnection queue “largely consists of intermittent generation, primarily wind and solar,” and that legal challenges are delaying needed natural-gas pipeline infrastructure.
Backed by 1 primary filing — sign in or book a call to see all sources.
Recent Virginia data center news
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PJM 5-Year Strategy Wrestles With Data Center Boom
PJM Interconnection has released a five-year strategy focused on operating a more dynamic grid, speeding planning and interconnection, and working more closely with states as data centers drive most new electricity demand. - The PJM Board of Managers approved the strategy in July, and PJM released it on Aug. 19; the document says data centers represent most incremental demand through 2035 and that system stress could rise through 2031.
- The plan calls for AI and automation in the control room, faster interconnection and planning, and more efficient stakeholder decision-making, while leaving unresolved cost allocation and governance questions now under FERC Section 206 review.
- PJM and Dominion Energy are reviewing whether Large Load ride-through requirements or practices should change after the July 22 Northern Virginia transmission fault that caused nearly 4,000 MW of data center load to transfer away from the PJM grid.
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EdgeCore Says Data Centers Should Pay Their Own Power Costs
EdgeCore Digital Infrastructure says it will fund the generation, transmission, and delivery infrastructure needed for its expanding data center campuses.
- Julie Brewer, EdgeCore’s executive vice president of finance, said the company expects to bear 100% of the costs for power infrastructure and may walk away from a project if power economics are not workable.
- EdgeCore’s pipeline includes a more than 1.1 GW campus in Louisa County, Virginia, a 496 MW campus in Mesa, Arizona, and a 216 MW campus in Reno, Nevada; it also secured $1.5 billion in construction financing this year for two fully leased hyperscale facilities in Northern Virginia and said the Louisa County campus represents more than $17 billion in planned investment.
- The article explains the White House Ratepayer Protection Pledge, SRP’s Large Customer Integration Process launched in 2025, and SRP’s updated E-67 price plan requiring large customers to meet minimum billing requirements and pay for dedicated transmission and substation service.
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PJM Widens Response to Data Center Load as Capacity Shortfalls Deepen
PJM Interconnection has proposed a new reliability framework for large data centers and other major electricity users, including an Interim Resource Adequacy Service (IRAS), a Large Load Registry, and related capacity-market changes.
- PJM filed the proposal with FERC on Aug. 13 under docket ER26-3515-000, asking for approval by Oct. 12 so IRAS can begin on June 1, 2027 for the 2027/2028 delivery year.
- The framework covers new large loads of at least 50 MW at a single site, creates Bring Your Own New Capacity (BYONC) rules, and would exclude uncovered new large-load demand from the capacity auction starting in the 2029/2030 delivery year; PJM also referenced a $325/MW-day auction cap, a $333.44/MW-day short auction clearing price, and a $555/MW-day cost cap in the related Reliability Backstop Procurement filing.
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House Bill Would Put Federal Electricity Tax On Data Centers
Rep. Andrea Salinas has introduced the Data Center Community Reinvestment Act of 2026, a bill that would impose a 1-cent-per-kilowatt-hour federal excise tax on electricity used by qualifying data centers over 1 MW and direct the revenue to five federal funds.
- The bill was introduced by Rep. Andrea Salinas (D-Ore.) and referred to the House Ways and Means Committee with additional referrals to Energy and Commerce and Science, Space, and Technology on Aug. 13.
- It would tax electricity used by data centers nationwide, including onsite generation, and create a new Energy Technology Trust Fund to support federal loan guarantees for clean energy, advanced nuclear, and grid infrastructure projects.
- Salinas’ office projects about $1.76 billion annually in revenue, or roughly $352 million per year for each of the five funds; the article also notes Virginia’s earlier 1.1 cents/kWh state data center tax and estimates that a 100 MW data center could owe about $8.76 million annually at full load.
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US utilities Appalachian Power and 3CE launch RFPS seeking BESS capacity in Virginia, California
Appalachian Power and Central Coast Community Energy have announced new requests for proposals for battery storage and clean energy resources in Virginia and California.
- APCo issued two Virginia RFPs on 17 August seeking up to 800MW of energy storage: up to 500MW through purchase and sale agreements and up to 300MW through capacity purchase agreements, with proposals due 30 September 2026.
- 3CE issued a California RFP on 17 August for at least 20MW offers across five product categories, with PPA start dates no later than 31 December 2032 and proposal deadline 25 September 2026; the article also notes a Battery Asset Management Summit USA 2026 event in Garden Grove, California on 15-16 September.
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Dallas-Fort Worth Dethrones Virginia as the World’s Top Data Center Market
Dallas-Fort Worth has been ranked as the world’s No. 1 data center market in a new report, while JLL separately ranked Texas as the top data center market in North America.
- Cushman & Wakefield ranked DFW first among 107 global data center markets based on 24 metrics, including under-construction capacity, land availability, power availability, and market size.
- JLL said Texas overtook Virginia on existing and under-construction inventory; DFW’s first-half 2026 figures included 4,587 MW existing inventory, 2,297 MW lease absorption, 3,202 MW under construction, and less than 1% vacancy. DFW and Austin tied for the second-lowest construction cost per MW among 19 U.S. markets at $9.4 million to $12.1 million.
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Contested 5-GW Ridgeline Gas, Solar, and Data-Center Complex in West Virginia Clears Site-Control Question
POWER reports that West Virginia regulators have confirmed Fundamental Data met site-control requirements for its Ridgeline Facility air permit.
- WVDEP DAQ determined on Aug. 13, 2026 that Fundamental Data had legal site control when the Aug. 15, 2025 Construction Permit R13-3713 was issued for the 291-acre Ridgeline site near Thomas, West Virginia.
- The article is a news analysis/reporting piece; it references prior permit, appeal, and inquiry actions, and says the project remains under review on other issues. Ridgeline is described as a proposed gas, solar, and data-center complex in Tucker County with about 800 MW gas generation, nearly 1.3 GW solar, 14 data center buildings, and a later 3.1 GW gas-fired phase.
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Datum Deploys Its Open Network Cloud at DataBank to Connect Distributed AI Infrastructure
DataBank has announced that Datum has added network points of presence inside three DataBank facilities in Ashburn, Dallas, and Salt Lake City.
- The deployment places Datum’s open network cloud in interconnection-dense markets serving AI companies, hyperscalers, and enterprises.
- DataBank said the three markets were chosen because Ashburn is the largest interconnection hub in North America, Dallas is a growing central-U.S. exchange point, and Salt Lake City is close to US-West neocloud and public cloud regions.
- The announcement says the companies’ leadership relationship spans nearly 20 years; it also identifies Kevin Ooley as DataBank President and CFO and incoming CEO effective January 1, 2027.
- Datum says its infrastructure is accelerated by NVIDIA BlueField DPUs and is available in public cloud, dedicated cloud, BYOC, or open-source AGPLv3 models.
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PJM’s New Deal for Data Centers: Bring Power or Face Cuts
PJM Interconnection has filed a proposal with FERC to create a conditional reliability framework for major new electricity users, including data centers.
- Filed on August 13, the tariff would let New Large Loads begin service before sufficient new capacity is available, with unsupported demand subject to curtailment before pre-emergency load management measures.
- PJM would also create a Large Load Registry, expand BYONC options, and change how unsupported load is treated in RPM starting with the 2029/30 delivery year; PJM requested an Oct. 12, 2026 effective date.
- The article is a news report about a FERC filing and industry dispute, not a standalone company press release.
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Land Banking Explained: A Novel Strategy for Data Center Expansion
The article explains the growing practice of data center land banking and argues it is becoming a significant strategy in data center expansion.
- It says over 70% of data center operators now prioritize land banking, and cites a 141% increase in data center land sales and a rise in land acquisition spending from 19% in 2025 to 30% in 2026.
- The piece is commentary/analysis, not a first-time company announcement; it discusses drivers such as scarce sites, grid hookup delays, permitting lead times, and the possibility that moratoriums or on-site power requirements could reduce the strategy’s value.