Virginia
Virginia remains the world's dominant data-center hub, but 2026 became a landmark year for opposition: the Court of Appeals VOIDED the ~2,100-acre PW Digital Gateway (Virginia Business, Apr. 1 2026), developer QTS dropped its Supreme Court appeal on July 2 2026 (FOX 5 DC, Jul. 2 2026), and the General Assembly enacted a ratepayer cost-allocation mandate (SB 253/HB 1393) plus a new $0.011/kWh data-center electricity tax in the June budget deal (Broadband Breakfast, Jun. 2026).
ILens Signals
Civic/Governance Barriers activates on moratorium-class action (C1), meaningful 2026 race (C3), litigation/recall pathway (C4) — governance instruments on the electoral, legislative, and regulatory surface (protocol §10; Overview Civic breakout). Weather/Climate activates on extreme-heat large-load curtailment affecting power infrastructure (W3): U.S. DOE Federal Power Act §202(c) emergency orders in 2026 (including Nos. 202-26-23, 202-26-33, 202-26-33a, and 202-26-35) authorized PJM to direct ≥50 MW large loads — the hyperscale data-center profile — onto onsite backup generation during heat-wave reliability emergencies as a last resort before or during EEA Level 3 (DOE Order 202-26-23; DOE Order 202-26-35). Energy/Power and Capital Flows are co-dominant: the SCC 25 MW+ cost-allocation mandate (SB 253/HB 1393) and the new $600M-capped electricity tax directly reprice who bears grid-buildout costs, while the voided ~billion-dollar Gateway corridor and Compass/QTS abandonment are a stranded-asset/investor-risk landmark (ION Analytics; Broadband Breakfast). Water/Geology stressed via new waterworks reporting law effective Jan. 1 2027 (VPM, Jun. 25 2026).
IIKey 2026 Races
Statewide 2026 governor's race concluded in Nov. 2025 (Spanberger (D) elected, sworn in Jan. 2026); no marquee 2026 candidate race is currently data-center-defining at the state level. Data centers were a signature 2025 gubernatorial issue with Spanberger's 'fair share' platform (Utility Dive, Dec. 2025), but 2026 activity is primarily legislative/judicial. Local anti-data-center electoral wins persist (e.g., Warrenton/Fauquier). None identified as a defining 2026 federal candidate race per current coverage.
IIIMoratorium · Ban Status
No statewide moratorium/ban enacted. The consequential action is judicial, not legislative: the Court of Appeals voided the PW Digital Gateway rezonings 'void ab initio' for defective public-hearing advertising under Va. Code 15.2-2204(A) (Virginia Lawyers Weekly, Apr. 22 2026); Prince William County withdrew from the appeal after spending $1.72M defending it (WTOP, Apr. 15 2026); QTS ended the case July 2 2026 (FOX 5 DC).
IVRatepayer · Cost-Shift Legislation
SB 253 / HB 1393 directs the SCC to ensure electricity costs for 25 MW+ users (including data centers) are not subsidized by residential customers (ION Analytics, Jun. 2026). The FY27-28 budget retained the ~$1.9B/yr sales-and-use tax exemption (Senate had voted to end it in 2027) but added a new $0.011/kWh data-center electricity consumption tax, capped at $600M/yr, passed Jun. 24 2026 (Senate 23-16, House 71-22) (Broadband Breakfast). Siting bill SB 94 (site/noise assessment, 100 MW+) and water-disclosure HB 496/SB 553 were signed by Gov. Spanberger, effective 7/1/2026 (Beveridge & Diamond; Trackbill SB94).
VBallot Measures
None identified. Ballotpedia's 2026 data-center ballot-measure tracker lists CA, MI, NV, WI — not Virginia; the 2026 Virginia electoral cycle centers on candidate races, not data-center ballot questions.
VITop Contested Sites
PW Digital Gateway (~2,100 ac / ~22-23M sq ft / 37 data centers near Manassas Battlefield) — VOIDED; QTS dropped appeal Jul. 2 2026, project dead (FOX 5 DC). Compass had already withdrawn Apr. 2026 (Washington Times, May 4 2026). Warrenton (Amazon, Fauquier Co.) remains contested amid ongoing zoning/legal battles.
VIITalent · Workforce
Talent/Workforce remains a genuine stressor: 2025 gubernatorial debate centered on jobs, energy, and 'who pays'; data-center construction/labor and the mismatch between promised and delivered permanent jobs are recurring themes (Technical.ly, 2025).
VIIIData Center Cluster Size
Largest data-center market on earth — 'Data Center Alley' in Loudoun/Prince William/Fairfax (Northern Virginia), reported to host thousands of facilities and 4,700+ diesel generators; state loses ~$1.9B/yr to the sales-tax exemption (Broadband Breakfast).
IXKey Quote
"The Virginia Court of Appeals has delivered another nail in the coffin of one of the most destructive data center projects in Virginia." — data-center opponent on the Mar. 31 ruling (WUSA/YouTube, Mar. 31 2026).