More than 70 new data centers are under development in Virginia, which is already the world’s leading hub for the massive, high-tech facilities. But given the rapid pace of the buildout and the challenges that come with it, it’s probably no surprise that not everyone in the Old Dominion State is as enthusiastic about data centers as they once were. In today’s RBN blog, we’ll look at some of the biggest data centers in the works and discuss their path forward.
This is our latest piece in a series discussing how some of the most popular states for data centers are faring. As we mentioned in God Blessed Texas, the Lone Star State, with more than 350 data centers, is one of the nation’s leaders, with only Virginia edging it out in both the number of facilities and associated power demand. Texas’s neighbor to the east, Louisiana, was initially slow in attracting developers but now has two hyperscale projects being built, including a $10 billion site being constructed by Meta (parent company of Facebook and Instagram) that is expected to eventually consume as much power as the entire city of San Diego and cover 2,250 acres, about one-seventh the size of Manhattan. As we noted in Louisiana Saturday Night, state lawmakers changed laws to establish incentives for data centers and also used federal grant money to ramp up its fiber-optic network.
That brings us to Virginia, which is at the opposite end of the extreme from Louisiana. The state was the pioneer for data centers and has been home to them since the 1990s — long before most people even knew what a data center was. As we discussed in Part 1, Virginia has more than 550 data centers, with some estimates at well over 600. But how many of these new data center proposals will see the light of day? That’s difficult to say, as many local communities have tightened the rules and regulations around data centers and, in some cases, rejected proposals in recent months.
Today’s blog will focus on a select group of data centers that will need at least 300 megawatts (MW) of power and have taken concrete steps forward, such as acquiring land and seeking permits. While many other projects are being debated, the list below totals about 3.4 GW of potential power demand and highlights projects with some approvals and progress, although most still face some hurdles, especially in communities concerned about electricity prices, environmental issues (including the heavy water use by data centers for cooling) and overall community impact.
Figure 1. Major Data Centers Under Development in Virginia. Source: RBN
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About the song
“Sweet Virginia" was written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards and appears as the first song on side two of The Rolling Stones’ 10th studio album, the 1972 double album Exile on Main St. The country-flavored song is said to be influenced by country-rock figure Gram Parsons, who was present during most of the recording of Exile on Main St. It was recorded on The Rolling Stones Mobile Studio at Villa Nellcote in France, Olympic in London, and Sunset Sound in Hollywood. Personnel on the record were: Mick Jagger (lead vocals, harmonica), Keith Richards (acoustic guitar, backing vocals), Mick Taylor (lead acoustic guitar, mando-acoustic guitar, backing vocals), Bill Wyman (bass), Charlie Watts (drums), Ian Stewart (piano) and Bobby Keyes (tenor saxophone).
Exile On Main St. was recorded between 1969 and 1972 at The Rolling Stones Mobile Studio in Nellcote, France, Olympic in London, Stargroves in East Woodhay, UK, and Sunset Sound in Hollywood. Produced by Jimmy Miller, it was released in May 1972 and went to #1 on the Billboard 200 Albums chart. It has been certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. Two singles were released from the LP.
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. The original group featured Mick Jagger on vocals, Brian Jones and Keith Richards on guitars, Bill Wyman on bass and Charlie Watts on drums. Mick Taylor replaced Jones in 1969. Ron Wood replaced Taylor in 1976. Bill Wyman retired from the band in 1998, being replaced by touring bassist Darryl Jones. Charlie Watts died in 2021 and was replaced by touring drummer Steve Jordan. The Rolling Stones have released 31 studio albums, 39 live albums, 28 compilation albums, three EPs and 122 singles. They have sold more than 250 million records worldwide. They have won five Grammy Awards, three MTV Video Awards, a World Music Award, and are members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, UK Music Hall of Fame, and have a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. They still record and tour. Their last release and tour, Hackney Diamonds, in 2024, was highly successful. Ron Wood has said the band is working on new tunes for their next release with producer Andrew Watt.
