Once thought to be on its way out, Dominion Energyâs Possum Point Power Station near Dumfries is now expanding operations to meet rising data center power demands, Insidenova.com reports.
The 75-year-old facility currently burns natural gas and diesel fuel, generating around 660 megawatts of energy, which powers about 170,000 homes.
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The Virginia House of Delegates Subcommittee of the Cities, Counties, and Towns Committee rejected a bill that sought to regulate the siting of data centers near schools, parks, and residential areas. Delegate Ian Lovejoy (R-22, Prince William County) presented HB1984, which would have required local government approval for data center developments only if they were located at least a quarter mile away from such properties. The subcommittee voted 8-0 to âlay the bill on the table,â effectively killing it.
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A majority of the residents who spoke during Wednesdayâs public input session about Fredericksburgâs proposed Technology Overlay District acknowledged or even supported the cityâs pursuit of data centers, reports the Fredericksburg Free Press.
Rather, itâs the terms and timetable governing said pursuit that comprised most of their questions asked during a joint meeting of the Planning Commission and City Council.
More than one speaker noted that adjacent jurisdictions, such as Stafford County, have taken up to six months from initiating the public process to voting for a data center. By contrast, Fredericksburgâs city council first discussed a Technology Overlay District in detail on Dec. 10 and could vote on related resolutions and ordinances as early as its Feb. 25 meeting.
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The Fredericksburg City Council took a significant step toward attracting data center development on Monday, January 14, by voting unanimously to initiate amendments to the cityâs 2015 comprehensive plan, unified development ordinance (UDO), and zoning map. The proposed changes aim to establish a Technology Overlay District (TOD) that would designate roughly 250 acres in the city as a site for data centers and related uses near the Fredericksburg Nationals stadium.
Currently, the city does not have server farms like those sprouting up in surrounding jurisdictions, such as Stafford, Spotsylvania, Prince William, and King George counties. Unlike their neighbors, the city has far fewer acres of land to devote to the sprawling tech campuses.
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Prince William Times â "Landowners who want to sell their properties for the Prince William Digital Gateway data center development and are suing Prince William County over their higher real estate tax bills were recently dealt a blow in court when a judge ruled against their case.
But they might have a Plan B, thanks to a bill sponsored by state Sen. Jeremy McPike."
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The Prince William Board of County Supervisors will convene on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, at 2 p.m. at 1 County Complex Court in Woodbridge for a packed agenda that includes significant decisions on land development and state legislation. The meeting is open to the public.
Woodbridge Land Development
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Insidenova.com: A bipartisan coalition of Virginia lawmakers on Tuesday presented a series of bills aimed at addressing the rapid expansion of data centers, which have become a cornerstone of the stateâs economy but have raised concerns about energy use, environmental impact, and equitable cost distribution.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin highlighted the industryâs importance during his State of the Commonwealth address Monday, noting that âdata centers alone support 74,000 jobs, bring in $9.1 billion in Virginia GDP, and generate billions in local revenue.â He called for Virginia to remain âthe data center capital of the worldâ while ensuring state support for the industry.
However, lawmakers from both parties have emphasized the need for oversight to ensure the industryâs growth is managed responsibly.
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FXBG Advance: The public was first made aware of the possibility of data centers in Celebrate VA when Mayor Devine added the topic to the July 9, 2024 Council agenda, giving the public no prior notice that the topic was to be discussed. Well before that announcement, council members had toured data centers in February, two at a time, to avoid public notice.
Also, prior to the July 9th meeting the City Manager initiated discussion with a developer to provide land for data centers.
In September the City Council supported the expenditure of $200,000 to study the infrastructure needs to provide power for data centers in Celebrate VA. A cost that should not be the responsibility of the city but by either Dominion Power or the developer. When questioned about this City Manager Tim Baroody confirmed it was not the cityâs responsibility but explained that it was being done at the direction of the City Council.
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Delegate Ian Lovejoy (R-22, Prince William County) has introduced a suite of legislative proposals targeting the rapid proliferation of data centers in Northern Virginia, addressing concerns about campaign finance, land use, and energy infrastructure. The legislation, rooted in what Lovejoy calls "common sense reforms," aims to tackle issues of public confidence, community impact, and the strain on utilities.
Curbing Campaign Influence on Local Decisions
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In this episode of the Potomac Local News Podcast, Delegate Ian Lovejoy joins us from Richmond to discuss key issues impacting Virginia residents:
Richmondâs Water Crisis: Hear about the ongoing water outage in Richmond, its effects on families, businesses, and schools, and what it means for state leadership as former Mayor Levar Stoney campaigns for Lieutenant Governor.
Data Center Development: Delegate Lovejoy explains his legislative efforts to address the rapid expansion of data centers in Northern Virginia, including:
- Prohibiting officials from voting on projects tied to campaign donors.
- Establishing zoning reforms to protect schools, parks, and residential neighborhoods.
- Proposing a moratorium on new data centers and revisiting tax incentives.
Energy Infrastructure Concerns: Learn how unchecked data center growth could threaten Virginiaâs power grid by 2030 and what steps are needed to prevent a crisis.
This in-depth conversation explores the challenges facing Virginia communities and the solutions Delegate Lovejoy is working to implement.
Subscribe for more updates on local news and issues affecting Virginia.
You’ll learn about:
- 1:15 – Richmondâs Water Crisis
- 4:30 – Data Centers and Campaign Donations
- 7:45 – Zoning Reforms and Community Impacts
- 10:30 – Power Grid Concerns and Tax Incentives
Join the conversation and share your thoughts in the comments.
