Virginia state senators call for data center moratorium
Virginia state senators from both parties are calling for a statewide moratorium on new data center development due to concerns about their impact on the state's electricity grid and groundwater supply. This bipartisan call comes after reports on a massive electrical grid issue and a DEQ report highlighting severe strain on groundwater levels. Lawmakers are urging the Governor to take immediate action or call a special legislative session.
Virginia state lawmakers are increasingly advocating for a statewide moratorium on new data center construction, citing critical concerns over the state's electrical grid and groundwater resources. Republican State Sen. Glen Sturtevant explicitly called on Gov. Abigail Spanberger to issue an immediate halt to all new data center development, questioning the state's capacity to accommodate further growth.
His call gained bipartisan support, with Democrat and Senate President Pro Tem Louise Lucas stating that "a statewide moratorium is a serious proposal that deserves serious consideration." Additionally, Republican Senator Richard Stuart and Democrat Senator Russet Perry sent a joint letter to Governor Spanberger, urging a special legislative session to address the state's groundwater supply. This move follows a report from the Department of Environmental Quality indicating that groundwater levels are under "serious and immediate strain," partly due to extensive data center water usage.
The push for a moratorium is also fueled by a recent incident in Ashburn where a high-voltage transmission line went offline, causing some data centers to switch to backup power, leading to power fluctuations across the East Coast. Experts warned that such events could potentially trigger widespread blackouts. The Data Center Coalition, an industry lobbying group, expressed concern that moratoriums could signal that an area is unwelcoming to economic development.