Virginia Orders Data Centers To Pay for Dedicated New Electric Infrastructure

Virginia, home of the nation's densest concentration of data centers, will require them to pay for the dedicated new power infrastructure they need in a bid to spare homeowners from rising electric bills.The commonwealth's State Corporation Commission ordered large data center users to cover the cost of transmission infrastructure they will use exclusively.Gov. Abigail Spanberger recently pushed for developers to offset their impact on the power grid. Across the nation, residents blame rising energy costs, in part, on a rapid build-out of the large technology developments.That includes substations, electric lines, and other electric infrastructure "upstream" from the data center sites. The governor said in a statement the move could save Virginia ratepayers "hundreds of millions of dollars." "We are taking real steps to address rising energy costs for Virginians," Spanberger said. "I will continue to work with the General Assembly and take action to make sure data centers pay their fair share, adhere to strict environmental standards, and listen to the concerns of local communities.”'Data Center Alley' contends with growthThe state is home to at least 570 data centers, thanks in pa...