Data Boom Geographies

Virginia experienced a rapid boom in data center construction. In the 2024 and 2025 legislative sessions, various have been put in front of policymakers in the Commonwealth to limit growth due to infrastructure gaps and other material and social constraints. Massive growth across the sector is augmented by artificial intelligence (AI). The increase in Virginia ties to proximity to the US federal government, the largest consumer, and subsequent placement of undersea cables. This rapid growth has earned Virginia the title of “ Silicon Valley of the East .” 

Virginia policymakers also provided nearly a billion dollars in incentives to attract data centers. Northern Virginia now hosts the globe’s  largest  data market, connecting a  large portion  of internet traffic - the commonly referenced 70% is difficult to verify. Important centers for well known names like Google and Amazon Web Services (AWS). After a multi-year boom, some  counties  in  northern Virginia  appear  saturated .

At many locations rapid growth occured without state of art efficiencies at par with leading standards. Data centers without energy and water efficiency standards and other necessary protections have led to  concerns  about the sustainability of data centers. Reliable energy supply, other supply chain disruptions and labor shortages are among leading sector concerns. The Prince William County Board of Supervisors recently approved one of the world’s  biggest  data center projects in a split vote that went against the recommendation of the county’s Planning Commission.

Lessons from the recent boom are not yet covered in policy reforms, meaning additional local governments are poised to repeat errors, especially as companies migrate to the interior, a pattern linked to land and water access. Vast quantities of water are necessary to cool data centers, so the Commonwealth’s resources were attractive in a context of  water wars  in arid areas. Rezoning efforts for data centers often upset  comprehensive plans  established in local governments to safeguared against social and environmental risks.

Data companies trying to assure reliability with power  grabs . Amazon Web Services (AWS) most fragile service network is AWS US-East-1 Lamda. an infamously flaky region. As climate threats intensify, data center  disruptions  are likely to increase. Virginia needs to assess damages from the recent data center boom prior to adding more high-carbon, high-water-use infrastructure.

 Greening  data centers remains a persistent challenge. However, large data companies have carbon and water reduction commitments. Policymakers can promote stewardship of valuable resources by establishing firm renewable energy targets for clean technologies with community benefits, such as commercial solar sited on brownfields. As is, Virginia’s data center hotspot undermines the  Virginia Clean Economy Act  because hyper-scale centers are sited in Dominion Energy’s utility territory - one that is overly reliant on  coal, oil and fossil gas . Lacking necessary  infrastructure , growth of Virginia data centers is expected to continue and may even double peak  electricity demand . Firms have been slow to incorporate virtual power plants and invest in long duration battery storage to improve  energy equity . Increasing renewable energy sources and battery storage - while necessary - will be  costly : policymakers must assure that the firms benefitting assume shared financial responsibility for infrastructure upgrades.

Negative tradeoffs from Virginia’s data center boom shows an urgent need for improved energy and utility sector  oversight . For example, the State Corporation Commission must assess grid impact prior to local approval of massive projects. Legislators need to create policies to assure communities are not hurt. As is, data centers left utility  ratepayers  footing the bill for new infrastructure. Predatory utility providers exploit growth markets; for example, data centers are used to justify Dominion Energy’s  controversial  1,000 MW gas “ peaker ” plant proposal in Chesterfield County. 

Energy efficiency standards are necessary, especially since renewable energy sourcing is limited. Firms like Amazon and Google can’t meet targets while sourcing from supply chains tied to  fossil gas , in spite of well documented health harms and ecological damage for  impacted communities . These negative social and ecological impacts and the humongous energy requirements of data centers justify ambitious state action to  locate  data centers where wind, geothermal, pumped hydroelectric and other clean energy sources are more plentiful. This brings positive downstream consequences since investments in renewable energy create three times more  jobs  than the fossil fuel industry.

• Barakat, M. (2023, December 13).  Virginia county approves one of world’s largest data center projects . The Virginian-Pilot.
• Barthel, M. (2023, September 1).  Northern Virginia’s Data Center Industry is Booming. But is it Sustainable ? DCist.
• Bolster, J. (2023, December 2).  Virginia Environmental Groups Form New Data Center Reform Coalition, Call for More Industry Oversight . Inside Climate News. 
• Cary, P. (2023, October 26).  Opposition mounts to ‘spiderweb’ of new transmission lines needed to power data center alley . Prince William Times.
• Cole, A. (2022, May 18).  Why is Ashburn known as Data Center ‘Alley’ ? Upstack. 
• Gregory, M. (2023, February 27).  Northern Virginia data centers could strain power grid . WUSA9.
• Kidd, D. (2023, July 27).  The Data Center Capital of the World is in Virginia . Governing.
• Main, I. (2022, December 9).  Virginia has a data center problem . Virginia Mercury. 
• Main, I. (2023, November 14).  Why are ratepayers footing the bill for Virginia’s data center buildout ? Virginia Mercury.
• Main, I. (2023, November 21).  A 5-point plan for Virginia’s data centers . Virginia Mercury. 
• Martz, M. (2023, November 17).  Virginia Data Center Challenges: Energy, tax breaks, public concern . Richmond Times-Dispatch.
• Martz, M. (2023, November 18).  Va. facing data center unknowns . Richmond Times-Dispatch.
• McGibbon, A. (2023, October 19).  Virginia is the World’s Data Center Hub, but What’s the Cost ? VPM.

An extended reading list can be found  here .

The Spider's Web Series are interactive educational posts for engaged learning written over the past two years by Mary Finley-Brook, a professor in the Department of Geography, Environment and Sustainability at the University of Richmond. The series got its name as the University mascot is a spider. The goal of the Spider's Web Series is educate about complex environmental geographies. The political ecology framework underpinning the series recognizes intersectionality in injustice and seeks diversity, equity and inclusion