Not to be missed: DATA CENTERS IN VIRGINIA | TIMES-DISPATCH SPECIAL REPORT
Read the stories from the Richmond Times-Dispatch's three-day series on data centers and the key issues they pose.
(9) updates to this series since Updated
Proponents say data centers bring localities enormous revenues and opportunities. Opponents raise concerns about their big demands for power and compatibility with neighborhoods.
Data center developers are now eyeing the Richmond area. While counties welcome the sites' tax revenues, residents' concerns have prompted developers to withdraw some proposals and Henrico imposed further oversight.
These buildings that house key IT infrastructure are big, expensive and need a lot of energy but promise big revenues for localities.
The state's telecommunications infrastructure, tax breaks, workforce and officials' welcoming attitude have helped make Virginia the world's data center capital.
The 451 now running in Virginia, home to the largest concentration of data centers in the world, currently use 3,583 megawatts, or enough electricity to power nearly 896,000 homes.
Virginia’s data center boom means new terms to understand. Here are some key words and phrases.
The state's data center boom is the subtext to increasingly intense politicking over longtime Virginia issues — climate change, electricity rates and the powers of local governments.
President Donald Trump has issued a series of executive orders removing barriers to expanding the electric grid's ability to serve data centers necessary to advance artificial intelligence and other power-hungry technologies.
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One measure limits what federal immigration officials can do in and around courthouses, schools and hospitals.
Senate Bill 32, sponsored by state Sen. Jennifer Carroll Foy, D-Prince William, never even got a hearing before the gatekeepers of the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee.
Of more than 2,350 bills introduced this year, roughly 1,000 didn’t make it by Tuesday’s crossover deadline.
Legislation looks at annual license fees, taxing game revenues, capping the number of machines statewide and the number in each store or truck stop.
“As we watched our nation's lawmakers gather for a joint session of Congress, we did not hear the truth from our president,” she said from Virginia’s Colonial Capitol in Williamsburg.
The legislation, Senate Bill 693, says insurance companies can’t refuse to cover drivers or charge different premiums for coverage solely because of an individual’s credit.
The penalty for failing to appear when summoned to court can be up to a year in jail, even if the original issue was a misdemeanor subject only to a fine.
A nightmarish story of online stalking brings General Assembly bill to tighten Virginia law.
With minutes to go before Senators had to head for their caucus briefings on floor action, freshman Del. Charlie Schmidt’s bill on probation ran out of time.
A Senate proposal to repeal a lucrative tax break for data centers has brought budget talks to a standstill and set off alarm bells for some business organizations across the state.
Virginia needs to take a more direct and active role when reports of child abuse and neglect emerge, the state official charged with protecting the rights and welfare of children says.
Virginia needs to take a more direct and active role when reports of child abuse and neglect emerge, the state official charged with protecting the rights and welfare of children says.
Virginia needs to take a more direct and active role when reports of child abuse and neglect emerge, the state official charged with protecting the rights and welfare of children says.
Virginia needs to take a more direct and active role when reports of child abuse and neglect emerge, the state official charged with protecting the rights and welfare of children says.
The regional electric grid that covers Virginia should stop plugging in data centers until it has enough high-voltage lines and power plants to meet their demands for electricity, the grid’s watchdog says.
The regional electric grid that covers Virginia should stop plugging in data centers until it has enough high-voltage lines and power plants to meet their demands for electricity, the grid’s watchdog says.
The regional electric grid that covers Virginia should stop plugging in data centers until it has enough high-voltage lines and power plants to meet their demands for electricity, the grid’s watchdog says.
Democratic lawmakers are preparing to pass a framework for legally buying and selling cannabis in Virginia. Now they plan to make the bill more absolute.
Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger promised the state’s top business organization that she’ll work from the start to boost investment in the state. She offered businesses reassurance on the right-to-work law.
Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger promised the state’s top business organization that she’ll work from the start to boost investment in the state. She offered businesses reassurance on the right-to-work law.
Virginia Democrats appear even more emboldened to redraw the state's congressional map after the U.S. Supreme Court let stand a Texas map drawn to find additional GOP seats.
Virginia Democrats appear even more emboldened to redraw the state's congressional map after the U.S. Supreme Court let stand a Texas map drawn to find additional GOP seats.
Virginia utilities should be able to slow new data centers and other big power users if they don’t have the power plants to supply them, a General Assembly panel said.
Virginia Democrats appear even more emboldened to redraw the state's congressional map after the U.S. Supreme Court let stand a Texas map drawn to find additional GOP seats.
Virginia Democrats appear even more emboldened to redraw the state's congressional map after the U.S. Supreme Court let stand a Texas map drawn to find additional GOP seats.
Europeans are tapping sunshine to make electricity with small, plug-in solar panels. Del. Delores Oates, R-Warren, hopes to make the devices legal in Virginia.
Europeans are tapping sunshine to make electricity with small, plug-in solar panels. Del. Delores Oates, R-Warren, hopes to make the devices legal in Virginia.
Six panelists with different perspectives on the issue took part in a discussion Thursday at the Virginia Press Association's Day in the Capital.
Six panelists with different perspectives on the issue took part in a discussion Thursday at the Virginia Press Association's Day in the Capital.
Six panelists with different perspectives on the issue took part in a discussion Thursday at the Virginia Press Association's Day in the Capital.
In its third year, Gov. Glenn Youngkin's Right Help, Right Now behavioral health reform marks its progress.
In its third year, Gov. Glenn Youngkin's Right Help, Right Now behavioral health reform marks its progress.
In its third year, Gov. Glenn Youngkin's Right Help, Right Now behavioral health reform marks its progress.
In its third year, Gov. Glenn Youngkin's Right Help, Right Now behavioral health reform marks its progress.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin is proposing a 2% bonus in the current fiscal year and a 2% salary increase in fiscal year 2027 and in fiscal year 2028 for state employees, teachers, school support staff and state-supported local employees.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin is proposing a 2% bonus in the current fiscal year and a 2% salary increase in fiscal year 2027 and in fiscal year 2028 for state employees, teachers, school support staff and state-supported local employees.
Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger on Thursday unveiled a series of specific, often highly technical bills aimed at reining in rising health care and energy costs and at expanding affordable housing.
The three biggest pharmacy benefit managers and two pharmaceutical giants colluded to send insulin prices soaring, Attorney General Jason Miyares says.
Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger on Thursday unveiled a series of specific, often highly technical bills aimed at reining in rising health care and energy costs and at expanding affordable housing.
Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger on Thursday unveiled a series of specific, often highly technical bills aimed at reining in rising health care and energy costs and at expanding affordable housing.
Virginia’s lightly monitored and inconsistent way of handling child neglect and foster care cases leaves hundreds of kids falling through the cracks.
The price of the workers' compensation insurance that almost every Virginia employer needs to buy will decline next year, the State Corporation Commission has ordered.
The price of the workers' compensation insurance that almost every Virginia employer needs to buy will decline next year, the State Corporation Commission has ordered.
A delegate from Virginia’s data center heartland will ask the General Assembly to break new ground in Virginia by requiring that big energy users get a permit from electricity regulators.
A delegate from Virginia’s data center heartland will ask the General Assembly to break new ground in Virginia by requiring that big energy users get a permit from electricity regulators.
Legalizing still more ways Virginians can gamble and trying to tighten oversight on the ways they already do will likely be major battlegrounds in the General Assembly.
Legalizing still more ways Virginians can gamble and trying to tighten oversight on the ways they already do will likely be major battlegrounds in the General Assembly.
Legalizing still more ways Virginians can gamble and trying to tighten oversight on the ways they already do will likely be major battlegrounds in the General Assembly.
The 2026 General Assembly session will be all about Democrats’ agenda – but exactly how big a shift that might be is the question.
The 2026 General Assembly session will be all about Democrats’ agenda – but exactly how big a shift that might be is the question.
The 2026 General Assembly session will be all about Democrats’ agenda – but exactly how big a shift that might be is the question.
One of the General Assembly’s most vocal advocates for help for foster care kids has filed a bill to launch a first step toward sweeping reform of Virginia’s faltering system for abused and neglected children.
One of the General Assembly’s most vocal advocates for help for foster care kids has filed a bill to launch a first step toward sweeping reform of Virginia’s faltering system for abused and neglected children.
Virginians will get to vote on a constitutional amendment to allow a redrawing of congressional district lines in response to other states’ redistricting moves to boost Republican seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Virginians will get to vote on a constitutional amendment to allow a redrawing of congressional district lines in response to other states’ redistricting moves to boost Republican seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Operators of slot-machine-like skill games and the convenience stores that say the devices are a critical source of extra income are trying again for legislation to legalize them.
House gatekeepers sent three Democratic priorities speeding on their way to Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s desk, including a minimum wage hike that she’s already said is part of her agenda.
Operators of slot-machine-like skill games and the convenience stores that say the devices are a critical source of extra income are trying again for legislation to legalize them.
House gatekeepers sent three Democratic priorities speeding on their way to Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s desk, including a minimum wage hike that she’s already said is part of her agenda.
As a major reform of state law to help consumers and tenants begins to move forward, several consumer protection measures have been lined up for consideration before the General Assembly.
As a major reform of state law to help consumers and tenants begins to move forward, several consumer protection measures have been lined up for consideration before the General Assembly.
Bills demanding that data center developers tell local governments more about their potential impacts are moving with new energy through the General Assembly.
Like cigarette and opioid manufacturers, the gun industry should be liable for harm when it's negligent, a state Senate committee voted on Wednesday.
Sen. Bryce Reeves, R-Orange, said the measure put the state guard at risk of losing the federal funding. "We're going to poke the bear, and the bear is going to bite back."
House of Delegates gatekeepers on Thursday voted to give the green light to measures that speed up the development of solar farms and affordable housing.
Two high-profile bills to rein in soaring health care bills won their first green lights from state Senate gatekeepers.
Sen. Bryce Reeves, R-Orange, said the measure put the state guard at risk of losing the federal funding. "We're going to poke the bear, and the bear is going to bite back."
A bid to end the practice, which advocates say can result in unjustly lengthy prison stays, was shelved by the House of Delegates Courts of Justice Committee without discussion.
Stores selling vaping products would now need a state permit to do business under legislation aiming to beef up enforcement of Virginia’s ban on the sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products to underage buyers.
“Children cannot learn if they are hungry,” said Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker, D-Alexandria, sponsor of the House bill.
A compromise on data centers is coming: an effort to rein in any impact on Virginians’ power bills without stopping or slowing data center development.
Two proposed restrictions on buying guns have stalled in the General Assembly, even as it moves a series of previously vetoed gun control measures toward the desk of a governor who says she'll sign them.
A compromise on data centers is coming: an effort to rein in any impact on Virginians’ power bills without stopping or slowing data center development.
A compromise on data centers is coming: an effort to rein in any impact on Virginians’ power bills without stopping or slowing data center development.
Two proposed restrictions on buying guns have stalled in the General Assembly, even as it moves a series of previously vetoed gun control measures toward the desk of a governor who says she'll sign them.
Legislation looks at annual license fees, taxing game revenues, capping the number of machines statewide and the number in each store or truck stop.
Legislation looks at annual license fees, taxing game revenues, capping the number of machines statewide and the number in each store or truck stop.
Virginia’s annual budget theater entered its second act Thursday, as the House of Delegates and state Senate each passed their separate rewrites of former Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s final budget proposal.
Virginia’s annual budget theater entered its second act Thursday, as the House of Delegates and state Senate each passed their separate rewrites of former Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s final budget proposal.
Virginia’s legislators want a hefty raise — at least for whoever is sitting in the state Senate and House of Delegates after the 2027 election.
Legislation by Sen. Bill Stanley, R-Franklin County, would allow alternatives for people under court-ordered competency restoration.
Gov. Abigail Spanberger met with budget negotiators on Wednesday to jumpstart stalled talks on a two-year spending plan as the Democratic-controlled legislature faces a Saturday deadline for completing its work.
With the House and Senate at loggerheads over a $1.9 billion tax break for data centers, Gov. Spanberger is floating a new idea: a consumption tax.
Bills to limit immigration agents’ arrests and allow retail sales of marijuana passed the General Assembly as it wrapped up the 2026 session Saturday.
Bills to limit immigration agents’ arrests and allow retail sales of marijuana passed the General Assembly as it wrapped up the 2026 session Saturday.
Virginia’s haphazard response to child abuse and neglect reports gets its first significant revision in nearly a century, with tough new oversight by the state and a move toward centralized intake.
Virginia’s haphazard response to child abuse and neglect reports gets its first significant revision in nearly a century, with tough new oversight by the state and a move toward centralized intake.
