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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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Climate Change Solutions - July 15, 2025
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) recaps recent U.S. climate and energy policy developments, including new legislation, issue briefs, and upcoming events.
- Reconciliation package (P.L. 119-21) signed into law on July 4, 2025, ending or curtailing tax incentives for energy efficiency, renewables, and electric vehicles.
- Congressional committees advanced bills on algal bloom mitigation, precision agriculture, coastal data, and wildfire resilience; EESI published briefs on critical minerals, data center water use, and recapped 60 climate-related hearings from May-June 2025.
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Load growth: The impending grid apocalypse that’s giving your utility operator nightmares
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Data Centers and Water Consumption
Miguel Yañez-Barnuevo reports that rapid expansion of data centers — especially AI-focused facilities — is increasing freshwater withdrawals and putting nearby communities and water systems at risk.
- Main announcement: Data center water demand is rising with energy and AI growth: individual large facilities can use up to 5 million gallons per day (≈1.8 billion gallons per year), U.S. data centers numbered 5,426 and consumed 163.7 billion gallons annually (2021); a federal report estimated ~211 billion gallons indirect water consumption from electricity in 2023. The article documents sources of water demand (on-site cooling, power-plant water use, chip manufacturing) and links this rise to higher chip densities and AI workloads.
- Background and technical details: The piece explains water accounting via WUE (Water Usage Effectiveness) (average ~1.9 liters/kWh; “0” is ideal), notes ~80% of withdrawn water typically evaporates, and describes cooling options (closed-loop, free cooling, air cooling, direct-to-chip and immersion cooling) and supply options (recycled/gray water vs. blue freshwater). It cites regional impacts (Northern Virginia: ~300 data centers; Loudoun County used ~900 million gallons in 2023) and sector-wide forecasts (data centers could use up to 1,050 TWh of electricity by 2030).
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The race to AI: Expect the unexpected
Schneider Electric commits to working with partners like Nvidia and data center operators to support AI demand while developing and executing sustainability strategies.
- Main announcement/action: Schneider Electric will work with partners (including Nvidia) and data center operators to deliver power and sustainability solutions for AI workloads, including on-site Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and strategies to manage emergency generators using biodiesel; the company frames this as supporting immediate AI demand while transitioning away from higher-carbon “bridge power“ sources.
- Background and concrete details: The article notes Northern Virginia’s Data Center Alley (processing about 70% of the world’s internet traffic) is considering using power from coal-fired plants in West Virginia, and a planned 360MW data center campus in Abilene, TX (Stargate JV) has applied to build a natural gas plant as bridge power with plans to replace it later; the piece also cites use of VPPAs/RECs, the role of BESS, and an Nvidia GPU backlog until 2026 as concrete implementation/timing details.
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Data center heat could make US campuses more efficient, experts say
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Powering AI without breaking the grid: Three pathways for sustainable development
Schneider Electric Sustainability Research Institute published a new analysis on AI’s rising energy demands and risks to the U.S. power grid.
- Main announcement: The report finds that by 2030, AI alone could account for up to half of the country’s total load growth, representing an increase of over 29 gigawatts beyond current grid capacity; it identifies three actionable pathways — efficiency (bend demand), grid modernization, and rethinking data center power supply — to align AI growth with decarbonization goals.
- Background and details: The analysis highlights regional stress points in Texas and Northern Virginia, calls for expanded transmission capacity, more storage and demand flexibility, and upgraded digital control infrastructure; it also notes data center measures such as on-site renewables, battery storage, energy-aware scheduling, and participation in virtual power plants as concrete implementation approaches.
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Data Center REITs See Robust Demand Despite Power, Supply Constraints
The article discusses the robust demand in the U.S. data center sector driven mainly by AI and hyperscaler technology companies.
- Data center REITs benefit from unprecedented growth fueled by AI, cloud computing, 5G, and digital services, with hyperscalers driving record expansion.
- Power constraints present a key challenge, including securing long-term power access and transmission, with exploration of alternative power sources like gas plants and mothballed nuclear power plants.
- Liquid cooling technologies are becoming increasingly necessary to manage higher power densities in AI training and inferencing workloads.
- Major markets include Northern Virginia, Atlanta, Phoenix, Columbus (Ohio), West Texas, and Reno (Nevada), with international revenue significant, especially in Asia.
- The Stargate Project involves a $500 billion investment to develop digital infrastructure; tariffs might affect construction cost and supply chains.
The article highlights opportunities and challenges ahead for REITs in the data center industry amid evolving AI demands and power supply issues, suggesting strategic expansion and financing approaches.
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Sustainable AI infrastructure: A scenario-based forecast of water footprint under uncertainty
- A global assessment quantifies the water footprint of AI-driven data centres distinguishing between operational water, off-site electricity generation water, and embodied water in hardware manufacture.
- Scenario-based probabilistic forecasting until 2050 projects global water use could increase more than sevenfold without mitigation, with majority from cooling-related operational use.
- Mitigation includes improving cooling efficiency, adopting alternative technologies like liquid and immersion cooling, and regional infrastructure planning based on water availability.
- Focus on efficiency and infrastructure planning aligns AI expansion with long-term sustainability goals and addresses water stress in vulnerable regions.
- The rapid rise in AI computational demand follows an exponential trend increasing water consumption considerably, highlighting the urgency for sustainable digital infrastructure policies.
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TMEIC Breaks Ground on Third Manufacturing Facility in Texas
TMEIC Corporation Americas has announced the development of a new 267,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in Waller County, Texas, scheduled to open in June 2026. The facility will produce uninterruptible power supplies and medium voltage drives, supporting data centers, oil and gas markets, and other critical infrastructure sectors. The project has received support from the Texas Enterprise Fund and local property tax incentives, with an initial creation of 200 jobs and plans to expand to 500. The site will include training centers, research laboratories, and sustainable energy systems incorporating photovoltaic and energy storage solutions.
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ChemTreat Cooling Upgrades at DOE Supercomputing Lab Offer Scalable Model for AI Data Centers
ChemTreat’s white paper details successful implementation of advanced water treatment solutions at a DOE national laboratory in the US. The project optimized cooling and supercomputer systems, reduced corrosion and microbiological issues, and transitioned to a closed-loop system that saved 34 million gallons of water annually. The initiatives also reduced phosphate in wastewater discharge, supporting environmental sustainability. The collaboration showcased scalable models for AI data centers, emphasizing operational and environmental benefits.