Two WV data centers approved, but neither plans microgrids under HB 2014
Two data centers in Berkeley and Putnam Counties, West Virginia, have received state approval. Despite House Bill 2014 incentivizing microgrids, neither approved project plans to use them, raising concerns about potential grid strain and increased costs for ratepayers. Governor Morrisey has assured the public that infrastructure costs for these projects will be borne by the developers.
Two data centers have been approved by the state in West Virginia, even as broader opposition mounts against new data center proposals across the state. These approvals follow the passage of House Bill 2014, a state law designed to attract data centers by allowing them to generate their own power using microgrids.
However, neither of the newly approved projects intends to incorporate microgrids, sparking concerns about increased demands on the existing power grid and potential rising costs for ratepayers. Emmet Pepper, Policy director for Energy Efficient WV, advocated for mandating data centers to provide their own power and urged lawmakers to implement safeguards to protect current ratepayers from financial burdens.
One of the approved data centers is planned for 548 acres in Berkeley County, with an estimated size of 1.9 million square feet. The other project, located in Putnam County, involves 1,700 acres, and its developer has committed to using renewable or zero-emission electricity. Governor Morrisey affirmed in February that the Berkeley County facility would likely connect to the existing grid but reiterated that all associated infrastructure costs would be covered by the projects, not West Virginia residents.
Governor Morrisey continues to champion data center development, with 10 such facilities proposed across the state, aiming to establish West Virginia as a premier location for data centers. Currently, only two of these proposals have received state certification.