The Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) unveiled Virginians for a Smarter Digital Future on August 18, 2025, empowering communities to understand and act on the growing impacts of data center expansion in Virginia.
“Developers inundate residents and lawmakers with short‑term benefits while omitting long‑term costs—especially rising electric bills,” said Chris Miller, PEC president. “This should be a kitchen table issue for every Virginian.”
An Explosive Data Center Boom
Northern Virginia—especially Loudoun County’s “Data Center Alley”—holds the highest concentration of data centers in the world. As of mid‑2024, there were approximately 200 operational data centers in Loudoun, with 117 more in the pipeline. Since 2018, permitted data center space leaped from ~13 million square feet to ~43 million by 2024—a 231% increase. Statewide, Northern Virginia data centers, including Ashburn and Loudoun, handle an estimated 70% of global internet traffic.
Infrastructure Strain & Grid Forecasts
The surge in electricity demand triggered by data centers is overwhelming Virginia’s energy infrastructure. Dominion Energy forecasts peak demand rising from 17,353 MW in 2024 to 26,623 MW by 2039, with the majority of that jump driven by data center load. The state-run JLARC commission projects that, if demand remains unchecked, Virginia’s energy requirements could double over the next decade, overwhelmingly due to data centers. Virginia will need extensive new generation and transmission infrastructure—like wind farms, gas plants, and regional lines—to meet this demand.
Further context from Reuters indicates that the U.S. Department of Energy anticipates an additional 20 GW of data center load by 2030, and predicts data centers could consume 6.7%–12% of total U.S. power production by 2028. Virginia is among the regions most heavily impacted.
Rising Utility Rates and Rate Class Reforms
Dominion Energy has responded by proposing new electricity rate structures. In April 2025, the company requested base rate increases of $8.51/month (2026) and $2.00/month (2027) for residential customers—its first base rate hike since 1992. Additional reporting suggests a separate 15% rate increase could cost households up to $257/year by 2027 if approved by the State Corporation Commission (SCC)…