Spotsylvania County supervisors back proposed state data center moratorium
The Spotsylvania Board of Supervisors voted 4-2 to back a proposal by State Senator Glen Sturtevant for a statewide moratorium on data center development in Virginia. The decision was driven by concerns over electrical usage and the state's lack of a plan to address power infrastructure challenges, which are impacting existing and approved data center projects.
The Spotsylvania Board of Supervisors has voted 4-2 to support a call for a statewide moratorium on data center development in Virginia. This initiative, proposed by State Senator Glen Sturtevant, is primarily driven by concerns over the intense electrical usage of data centers and the state's perceived lack of a comprehensive plan to ensure adequate power infrastructure.
Supervisor Chris Yakabouski expressed strong reservations, stating, "I'm not about to throw my county away for the hope of a dollar in the future just because this is the shiny thing right now." He highlighted that eight data centers are already approved in Spotsylvania, but power supply dates for these projects have been delayed, potentially leading to reliance on external power sources or leaving facilities unpowered. Yakabouski also noted that increased industrial land costs, partly due to data center demand, are making it unaffordable for other businesses to operate in the county.
The discussion emphasized that Virginia has moved to second place nationally, behind California, in buying more electricity than it produces. A representative from Rappahannock Electric Co-op (REC) reportedly indicated an inability to power new data centers, raising fears of rising electricity bills and unreliable power for citizens. Supervisors hope this resolution will prompt state officials to address the infrastructure issues brought to light by data center development, ensuring that local efforts to protect communities from noise and other impacts are not undermined by state-level energy shortcomings.