As Virginia's data center buildout shifts, Georgia takes the lead in construction
Georgia has more data center capacity under construction than Northern Virginia, with 2,882 megawatts under construction compared with about 2,420 megawatts in Northern Virginia, according to CBRE. Northern Virginia remains the larger overall market, but development is spreading to rural areas and other parts of Virginia, prompting new environmental, transparency and regulatory proposals, including a proposed moratorium.
A CBRE report says Georgia is building more data center capacity than Northern Virginia, with 2,882 megawatts under construction versus roughly 2,420 megawatts in Northern Virginia. Atlanta has become North America’s second-largest data center market, driven by tax incentives, available land, power costs and expanding fiber connectivity, according to CBRE researcher Gordon Dolven.
Northern Virginia continues to attract major projects, including Digital Realty’s $3.5 billion investment in Blackstone sites, Amazon’s planned 122-acre Loudoun County development and Stack Infrastructure’s Stafford County campus. Development is also moving south into areas such as Chesterfield County, where Google was cited over sediment runoff. Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger has issued a data center accountability framework, while lawmakers are considering measures involving land preservation, utility costs and water-resource transparency; Sen. Russet Perry has also proposed a moratorium through July 1, 2027.