Conservationists warn data centers' water, energy consumption threatens public lands

The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) has issued a new report detailing the escalating threats to the mid-Atlantic region's natural resources posed by Virginia's rapidly expanding data center industry. According to conservation strategist Ben Alexandro, the report's primary author, data centers' demands for immense amounts of electricity, grid infrastructure, and water from the Potomac River are unsustainable. The Richmond Times-Dispatch previously reported that data centers have requested nearly 70 gigawatts of power from Dominion Energy, a significant increase compared to the company's current 31 gigawatts of generating capacity. Dominion Energy itself anticipates more than doubling its capacity in the next two decades, largely driven by data center growth. This surge in demand necessitates the construction of high-voltage transmission lines, with two proposed lines, FirstEnergy's "Gore-Doubs-Goose Creek" and the "Valley North" portion of the Valley Link projects, slated to cut across northern Frederick County, the Appalachian Trail, and other conserved lands. Water consumption by data centers is also a major concern. The Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin reports that data centers currently withdraw 14 million gallons of water from the Potomac River daily during peak usage, a figure projected to balloon to 170 million gallons with unchecked growth. This volume far exceeds the estimated 212 million gallons of clean water per day supplied by natural areas like the Shenandoah National Park. In response to these environmental impacts, the NPCA recommends implementing data center regulations that mandate transparency regarding water and energy usage. They also advocate for increased governmental oversight to holistically account for the cumulative regional impacts of the industry's development.