Northern Virginia has become the largest concentration of data centers on the planet. The same digital boom that powers the internet, artificial intelligence, and cloud storage now drives one of the steepest energy surges in American history. Behind the headlines is a story of unchecked consumption, mounting infrastructure costs, and misplaced priorities.
- Dominion Energy reports nearly 40 gigawatts (GW) of data-center power capacity in various stages of contracting across Northern Virginia. (Data Center Dynamics 2025)
- Industry research shows that continued growth could require as much as 15 GW of new natural-gas generation by 2030 to keep servers online. (Aurora Energy Research 2025)
- Dominion’s five-year capital plan now totals $50.1 billion—an increase of nearly $7 billion—driven largely by grid upgrades for industrial-scale digital facilities. Those costs are recovered through consumer rates. (Reuters 2025)
- The utility’s official projections show statewide peak demand rising from 18.6 GW to 26.6 GW under current expansion plans. (VPM News 2025)
- Dominion Energy Marketing Inc. also holds a federal license to export electricity to Canada. That authority highlights how some U.S.-generated power can cross borders even while domestic consumers face rising prices and reliability concerns. (Federal Register Notice)
⚡ Key Issues for Lawmakers and Rate-Payers
- Domestic Priority: Energy produced in the United States should first meet the needs of U.S. citizens and businesses—not be consumed or exported without clear public benefit.
- Fiscal Responsibility: Multi-billion-dollar transmission projects for private corporations should not quietly shift costs onto households.
- Transparency: Regulators and taxpayers deserve to know who is drawing gigawatts of public-grid power under “critical-infrastructure” exemptions.
- Grid Security: Concentrating so much load in one region exposes the nation to reliability and national-security risks if transmission or fuel supply is disrupted.
- Balanced Policy: Economic development must account for infrastructure limits. Unlimited digital expansion without matching generation or conservation measures is unsustainable.
✅ Bottom Line
The digital economy cannot run on borrowed power forever. When utilities invest tens of billions to energize private data centers while rate-payers shoulder the bill, it becomes a question of priorities. Energy security and fiscal stewardship—core American values—must guide how we power the future.
My Notes / Perspective From Sky News UK: Inside “Data Center Alley”
British journalists at Sky News UK traveled through Loudoun County, Virginia—ground zero of the global data-center boom—and found what locals call “Data Center Alley.” Their report described a region transformed by endless rows of windowless concrete buildings, each demanding constant power and cooling.
- Sky News noted that dozens of data centers consume more power than many small nations, creating what they called “the biggest story in economics right now.” (Sky News Report 2024)
- The story quoted residents who described around-the-clock generator noise, night-time light pollution, and the loss of once-quiet farmland.
- It also highlighted that local governments rely heavily on the tax revenue these facilities bring—even as citizens face higher electric bills and infrastructure strain.
- Sky News linked the surge to global demand for AI computing and cloud storage, but emphasized that the environmental and energy costs fall locally while profits remain concentrated in distant corporate headquarters.
For American policymakers, that outside perspective is telling. It mirrors concerns voiced by Virginians themselves: a booming private industry has outgrown the grid that sustains it. Whether viewed from London or from Richmond, the question is the same—how long can one region power the world’s data without overloading its own future?
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