Letters for March 29: Customers shoulder burden of data centers’ costs

Virginia's General Assembly is currently engaged in budget negotiations, with data centers emerging as a significant point of discussion due to their substantial electricity demands. The author of the letter argues that the current approach, which relies on fossil fuels to power these facilities, compels utilities to build costly new infrastructure. This burden, they contend, is unfairly passed on to residential customers through higher electricity costs and subjects Virginians to volatile fuel prices and environmental pollution. The letter advocates for a shift towards clean energy sources like solar and wind to power data centers. It posits that this transition would avoid the need for expensive, outdated infrastructure, stabilize electricity costs, and safeguard communities from health risks associated with pollution. The central principle urged for the General Assembly's decisions is holding data centers accountable for utilizing clean energy to ensure a reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy future for Virginia.