Getting your news
Attempting to reconnect
Finding the latest in Climate
Hang in there while we load your news feed
WV · State profile
West Virginia Data Center Intel
Latest data center news, projects, power and policy across West Virginia — updated daily.
Recent West Virginia data center news
-
FBI considers deploying AI LLM supercomputers with Nvidia B300 GPUs or Google TPUs
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is considering acquiring AI supercomputer hardware through a request for information (RFI).
- The FBI said it seeks information on AI computing products for LLM training, inference, advanced analytics, computer vision, and other secure government workloads.
- The RFI outlines four hardware categories, including rack-scale AI systems, AI pod architectures, and AI inference accelerators; most deliveries would go to the CJIS Division facility in Clarksburg, West Virginia.
- The document notes that RFIs are a precursor to procurement and do not guarantee purchase; the FBI could acquire equipment in varying quantities and configurations through delivery orders.
- Category details include Intel Xeon 6767P or equivalent, HGX B300 eight-GPU assembly, GB300 NVL72-equivalent systems, Google TPU-equivalent architectures, and Nvidia L40-S-equivalent inference hardware.
-
Another Electric Super-Highway Proposed to Serve Data Centers
Piedmont Environmental Council is issuing an alert about a proposed transmission line project and an open house, rather than announcing a new project itself.
- Valley Link Transmission, a joint venture between Dominion Energy and two other utilities, has sent notices for the Amos-Rocky Point / “Valley North” project and is holding an open house on July 7, 2026 in Berryville, Virginia.
- The proposed line would run 260 miles at 765 kV from the John Amos coal plant in West Virginia to the Rocky Point substation in Maryland; Valley Link also plans a 2027 SCC filing for a certificate of public convenience and necessity.
- The article argues the project is driven by Dominion’s growing data center queue, which it says has reached 70 GW, and notes the project could require a 200-foot right-of-way and towers about 160 feet tall.
-
Details revealed for Google's Project Skye data center campus in Chesterfield County, Virginia
Google has filed details of its planned “Project Skye” data center campus with the US Army Corps of Engineers.
- Project details: The filing describes a campus on 887.7 acres (south of Genito Road, east of Moseley Road, north of Duval Road) proposing five data center buildings, three substations, plus parking, roads, utilities, and stormwater management facilities. The public notice is recorded as NAO-2026-00282 / VMRC-26-0360.
- Context and timeline: Project Skye is part of Google’s broader $9 billion Virginia investment program announced in 2025; Google has had development activity in the Richmond/central-eastern Virginia area since 2017 and other local projects referenced include Project Loch, Project Peanut, a Sharpless Enterprises 181-acre campus approved in March 2024, and a land purchase in Botetourt County in June 2025.
-
Episode for June 26, 2026
The Pennsylvania House has passed a data center ‘pause’ measure and both chambers approved repeal of the commonwealth’s sales tax break on computer equipment for data centers.
- Main action: The Pennsylvania House and other lawmakers passed measures this week to slow data center development, including approval in both chambers to repeal the sales tax exemption on data center computer equipment and related bills tied to Governor Shapiro’s plan for “responsible” development. Brookville Borough Council separately passed a 180-day moratorium on data center development (a pause that lasts until roughly December) to give the council time to finalize local data center rules.
- Other reporting and context: The roundup also reports that the Army Corps of Engineers‘ recent dam removal on the Monongahela River caused larger-than-expected water-level drops; researchers are trialing buoys that release an algaecide to fight harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie; environmental groups criticized recent Nippon Steel investments at U.S. Steel plants as “stopgap things to make U.S. Steel profitable in the short term”; and Pittsburgh restaurants are changing recycling, composting and waste systems. All items are presented as news summaries and local reporting rather than a single new joint announcement.
-
On the Ground Updates – June 2026
The Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) summarizes regional land-use and infrastructure updates across multiple Virginia counties, highlighting implementation of Albemarle’s AC44 Comprehensive Plan and monitoring of transmission, solar, and data-center proposals.
- AC44 implementation (Albemarle County): PEC reports a three-year implementation of the AC44 Comprehensive Plan with four major initiatives: Zoning Modernization, designation of Activity Centers for higher-density development, creation of the county’s first Multimodal Transportation Plan, and a two-stage approach to the Rural Area leading to the county’s first Rural Area Plan.
- Regional project updates and permitting actions: Strata Energy withdrew the Maroon Solar conditional use application in Culpeper (may reapply later); multiple data centers are under construction in Culpeper (including Databank and STACK Infrastructure’s Culpeper Technology Campus and Copper Ridge, expected to break ground this summer); Dominion Energy acquired 85 acres adjacent to its Morrisville substation (possible expansion or battery storage); FirstEnergy plans to file its application in June to rebuild the Page-Sperryville 138 kV line; Dominion posted routes for the 765 kV Joshua Falls–Yeat line with public meetings in June/July. PEC is monitoring all items and engaging in public outreach and planning processes.
-
Carolina West Wireless to Transfer Mobile Network to Verizon
Carolina West Wireless has announced it will shut down its wireless service by Sept. 30, 2026 and transition its network to Verizon.
- Main action:Carolina West Wireless (CWW) will cease wireless operations by Sept. 30, 2026 and is transitioning its network to Verizon; customers who switch to Verizon before July 30 will receive a $150 Mastercard gift card per line and Verizon will not charge mobile line activation fees. CEO Slayton Stewart said the decision reflects rising infrastructure demands and the company pledged support for employees via severance and career services. CWW did not disclose the fate of its FCC-overseen wireless licenses.
- Background and reaction: CWW was founded in 1991 and is owned by a partnership of Skyline Telephone and Surry Communications; the Competitive Carriers Association President & CEO Tim Donovan urged sustainable USF operational expense support for rural carriers and called on Congress and the FCC to act promptly. Links to CWW customer transition FAQs and local reporting are cited in the article.
-
Construction employment rises in 30 states over past year, AGC reports
The Associated General Contractors of America reported that construction employment increased in 30 states and the District of Columbia between May 2025 and May 2026.
- Main announcement: AGC reported state construction employment increased in 30 states and D.C. between May 2025 and May 2026; Texas added 18,700 jobs (2.1%), North Carolina added 13,600, Wisconsin added 9,000, and Wisconsin posted the largest percentage increase (6.2%); California recorded the largest annual decline at 13,100 jobs (−1.5%).
- Monthly detail and risks: From April to May, construction employment increased in 23 states and D.C., declined in 22 states, and was unchanged in 5 states; monthly leaders included Texas (+3,600) and Wisconsin (+2,900). AGC officials Ken Simonson and Jeffrey D. Shoaf cautioned that opposition to data center projects and uncertainty over federal transportation funding pose threats to future construction job growth.
-
100MW data center could be built in Wheeling, West Virginia
Silicon Foundation has acquired a 15-acre, industrial-zoned site at 74 Warwood Avenue in Wheeling, West Virginia to develop a modular data center, with Stokes Inc named as the EPC contractor.
- Main announcement: Silicon Foundation purchased a 15-acre parcel at 74 Warwood Avenue (former Centre Foundry) to build a 60,000 sq ft (5,575 sqm) data center; the site reportedly has an active 10MW grid connection with a defined path to 20-30MW and a longer-term 100MW campus, and Stokes Inc will act as EPC contractor. Timelines posted by Stokes list Phase 1 Q4 2026 and Phase 2 Q4 2027 but the company did not clarify whether those dates indicate start or completion of works.
- Background & status: Local/state officials (West Virginia Office of Energy; Wheeling City Council) stated they have not received any applications for a data center project in Warwood/Ohio County; Silicon Foundation described plans as “in development, future details in due course”. Silicon Foundation was founded in January 2026 by Val Holovach and lists the Wheeling project as its sole site; Stokes lists other in-progress projects (12MW Compass Mining Oklahoma, 600MW near Niagara Falls NY, 6MW + BESS Buchanan VA).
-
Episode for June 19, 2026
Governor Shapiro’s office offered to streamline permitting for Amazon.
- Governor Shapiro’s office offered to streamline permitting for Amazon: Investigative reporting by Jael Holzman (Heatmap News) examined emails between the Governor’s office and Amazon revealing outreach to court new data centers as public opposition to AI data centers in Pennsylvania has grown. Key entity: Office of Governor Josh Shapiro; reporter: Jael Holzman; action: offer to streamline permitting for Amazon (reported, based on reviewed emails).
- Other environmental actions and notices described: the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is accepting public comment on a proposed wastewater discharge permit for the Rustic Ridge coal mine that would allow 2.8M gallons of treated wastewater into a Laurel Highlands trout stream; coverage also highlights the American burying beetle recovery effort, the century-old fire tower wildfire-detection system, and a coalition of conservation groups in Westmoreland County seeking property owners to support monarch butterflies.
-
Google Invests $1.5 Billion in Alabama Data Center Expansion
Google has announced a $1.5 billion expansion of its Jackson County, Alabama data center campus (announced June 16, 2026).
- Main announcement: Google will invest $1.5 billion to expand its Jackson County, Alabama data center campus on the former Widow’s Creek coal plant site, repurposing existing infrastructure and electrical lines; the company has contracted to bring 300 MW of new power capacity to the Tennessee Valley region and will cover full costs of the power and infrastructure driven by its operations in line with the White House Ratepayer Protection Pledge.
- Background & complementary actions: Google is launching a $2 million Energy Impact Fund (in partnership with TVA and the Community Action Agency of Northeast Alabama) to support weatherization and energy-efficiency services for local schools and income-qualified households primarily in Jackson County; the company also plans to train more than 130,000 Alabamians in digital skills in collaboration with 150+ organizations. The article is an active announcement by Google and references a prior 2025 partnership with Kairos Power and TVA to supply up to 50 MW of advanced nuclear power to data centers in Tennessee and Alabama.