Local activists call for data center “pause” | Localnews
Activists led by Elena Schlossberg are urging the Prince William County Board of Supervisors to impose a 12-month pause on new data center approvals. They cite grid strain, higher power bills and neighborhood noise, while Dominion Energy is suing the county over the rejection of a Vint Hill substation upgrade needed to support regional electricity demand.
The Coalition to Protect Prince William County, led by executive director Elena Schlossberg, is seeking a one-year pause on new data center approvals in Prince William County, Virginia. The group wants supervisors to use the pause to develop stronger setbacks, noise standards, buffers and enforcement measures. The request follows the county's decision to end by-right data center development, although developers were given a 90-day period to submit applications.
The coalition held its press conference outside NTT's data center campus under construction in Gainesville. The four-building complex is planned to total 2 million square feet and have a 336-megawatt capacity, with peak demand of 600 megawatts. Prince William County has denied Dominion Energy's request to upgrade the Vint Hill substation, and Dominion is suing to overturn that decision, warning of potential grid failure by late 2027. County supervisors have expressed concern about the pace of development but have not indicated whether they would support a formal moratorium.