WV Data Center Developer Reveals Plans for Huge Solar Field

Fundamental Data, the Delaware-based company behind the controversial Ridgeline Facility data center and power plant project in Tucker County, West Virginia, has unveiled new details about its plans, including the integration of a substantial solar field. The company stated that nearly 1.3 gigawatts of solar power, covering 6,500 to 9,000 acres, would help provide electricity for the complex. This information was revealed in a letter responding to three Democratic U.S. senators who had raised concerns about potential pollution from the facility. The Ridgeline Facility, which involves a natural gas-fired power plant with diesel backup, is located less than two miles from the towns of Davis and Thomas. Fundamental Data claimed that solar power, and potentially nuclear power and carbon capture technology, have always been part of its strategy, despite previous public statements and regulatory filings not mentioning these renewable components. The company cited the site's proximity to a major natural gas field, critical transmission nodes, and a lack of local zoning and regulatory layers as reasons for its selection. The project has faced significant public debate and a pending lawsuit seeking to block its construction, reflecting growing resistance to data center developments across the nation due to concerns over pollution, water use, and energy costs. Separately, West Virginia House of Delegates Speaker Roger Hanshaw has drawn criticism for representing Fundamental Data as legal counsel through his firm Bowles Rice. Ethics watchdogs have raised alarms about a potential conflict of interest, as Hanshaw also represents another data center developer in Mason County and has guided legislation that could benefit such clients. The state legislature recently enacted a law redacting certain information about political donors, further fueling transparency concerns.