Virginia grapples with data center power demands, regulatory challenges
This opinion piece highlights the significant energy demands of data centers in Northern Virginia and their impact on the state's power grid, contributing to higher rates and corporate mergers. It advocates for empowering local governments with more tools to regulate data centers, for legislative action on corporate political contributions, and for updated environmental regulations concerning data center power and water usage.
Paul Gilbert, in an opinion piece for Annandale Today, highlights the interconnected problems stemming from the rapid expansion of data centers in Northern Virginia, including increased energy consumption, rising electricity rates, and corporate influence in politics. He specifically points to the proposed acquisition of Dominion Energy by NextEra Energy, arguing that the merger is driven by the lucrative energy demands of Virginia's data center boom. Gilbert contends that this situation exacerbates climate change and poses a threat to long-term affordability for ratepayers.
Gilbert criticizes the current regulatory framework, noting that Virginia's Dillon Rule status limits the power of local governments to address data center impacts beyond basic land use, citing a proposed data center on Edsall Road in Fairfax County as an example. He recalls Governor Glenn Youngkin's veto of a bipartisan bill that would have granted localities more tools to consider data center impacts on water, power infrastructure, and neighborhoods. He also questions the appointment of a former NextEra Energy attorney, Kelsey Bagot, to chair Virginia’s State Corporation Commission, which is responsible for approving the merger.
To address these "powerful problems," Gilbert proposes five solutions. These include urging state leaders to reject the NextEra-Dominion merger, implementing legislative changes to curb corporate political contributions similar to steps taken in Hawaii and Montana, and empowering the Virginia General Assembly to grant local governments more authority to assess data center applications for their power, water, and infrastructure impacts.
Additionally, Gilbert calls for the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality or the federal EPA to update environmental regulations for data center power and water use. He also suggests that a portion of data center revenue should be used to fund the protection and expansion of natural areas, aiming for ecological balance and carbon capture. Gilbert, a former executive director of NOVA Parks, asserts that these actions are crucial for Virginia's sustainability, affordability, and democratic integrity.