Northern Virginia Data Center Growth Intensifies Regional Power Crunch
A power shortage across the Mid-Atlantic is being intensified by rapidly growing data center demand, particularly in Northern Virginia. The article argues that local approvals failed to account for grid impacts and highlights opposition to new substations, on-site power generation and additional data center development, including a call for a statewide Virginia moratorium.
Northern Virginia’s data center expansion is placing increasing pressure on the PJM Interconnection grid, driving up electricity costs and raising concerns about reliability during extreme weather. Dominion Energy has approved hookups for roughly 27 gigawatts of data center capacity by 2031, while tens of gigawatts of additional requests remain in its queue. PJM warns that generation and transmission additions may not keep pace with demand, particularly as existing coal and gas plants retire.
The article faults Loudoun and Prince William county officials for approving data centers without adequately accounting for their power requirements. Residents and activists have opposed substations and on-site generation, while Fauquier County rejected a proposed bank of gas-powered generators near Remington. The Piedmont Environmental Council has called for a statewide moratorium on data center development until Virginia addresses the effects on businesses, residents and the electric grid. Dominion, Amazon and Google are among the companies involved in discussions over who should pay for dedicated transmission infrastructure, while Dominion is also planning a small modular reactor with Amazon in Louisa County.