弗吉尼亚州政务委员会下令大型数据中心用户承担其专用电力传输基础设施的成本，包括变电站、电线等上游设施建设费用。[1] 该州政策旨在减轻普通居民的电费负担。[1] 州长阿比盖尔·斯潘伯格声称此举可为弗州纳税人节省"数亿美元"。[1]
弗吉尼亚州拥有全国最密集的数据中心，至少570个。[1] 高盛预估数据中心的电力需求将在2025至2027年间翻倍。[1] 与此同时，北弗吉尼亚地区中位房价在过去十年内上升了54%。[1] 数据中心行业代表则指出，该行业提供550万个就业岗位、2040亿美元的税收收入，以及1.7万亿美元的国内生产总值。[1]
Virginia's State Corporation Commission has mandated that large data center operators bear the costs of building dedicated electric transmission infrastructure to serve their facilities, including substations and transmission lines.[1] The directive aims to shift infrastructure expenses away from ordinary residents, thereby reducing the overall electricity bills for Virginia taxpayers.[1]
Governor Abigail Spanberger stated that this policy could save Virginia taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars.[1] The decision reflects growing concerns about the state's capacity to meet surging energy demands. Goldman Sachs projects that data center electricity consumption will double between 2025 and 2027.[1] Virginia currently hosts the nation's highest concentration of data centers, with at least 570 facilities operating within the state.[1]
The ruling also comes amid broader economic pressures in the state. The median home price in Northern Virginia has risen 54 percent over the past decade, intensifying affordability concerns.[1] Industry representatives from the Data Center Coalition countered that the sector generates 5.5 million jobs nationally, contributes $204 billion in tax revenue, and accounts for $1.7 trillion in gross domestic product.[1]