Virginia can be a national model for balancing technological innovation with consumer protection and strong climate policies.
February in the Commonwealth always brings reminders that “Virginia Is for Lovers.” This year, Virginia is also for something else: commonsense guardrails to ensure that the explosive growth of data centers doesn’t come at the expense of Virginians’ pocketbooks, health, or climate progress.
With the Virginia General Assembly’s short 2026 legislative session underway, lawmakers are taking up dozens of bills that tackle one big question: How do we manage skyrocketing data center electricity demand without compromising grid reliability, affordability (yes, we’re still saying it in 2026), or slowing the Commonwealth’s climate and clean energy progress? The NRDC Action Fund is stepping in to help answer it.
Turning up the volume: A $250,000 ad campaign for consumer protection and clean energy
To meet this moment, the NRDC Action Fund is going on the air with a $250,000 statewide ad buy. While some Big Tech companies are spending heavily to protect the status quo, we believe Virginians deserve clarity—and honesty—about what’s at stake.
Our message is simple:
As data centers expand, Virginia can protect consumers, safeguard air and water, and strengthen its clean energy leadership—but only if lawmakers act now.
Data centers play an essential role in powering AI, cloud services, and the digital world we all rely on. But unfettered growth without smart policy means soaring electricity demand that could trigger hidden rate hikes, fossil fuel backsliding, and billions in grid upgrade costs that then get dumped onto Virginia families.
Virginia’s Data Center Alley is on a collision course with climate law—but it doesn’t have to be
Northern Virginia’s “Data Center Alley” is the largest concentration of data centers on earth. That growth is now directly intersecting with and straining Virginia’s landmark climate laws, including its participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and the Virginia Clean Economy Act.
This legislative session gives Virginia a narrow but urgent opportunity to resolve the data versus climate conflict by:
- Aligning Big Tech’s own climate commitments with Virginia’s laws.
- Answering Governor Abigail Spanberger’s repeated calls for greater accountability from the data center industry.
These goals aren’t in opposition—they’re mutually reinforcing. And with Big Tech’s enormous influence in the Commonwealth, the moment is ripe for lawmakers to insist that major data users do their part.
NRDC’s framework: Four guardrails for responsible data center energy growth
NRDC recently released At the Crossroads: A Better Path to Managing Data Center Load Growth, outlining practical policy solutions for states like Virginia. Among the more than 40 data center bills introduced this session, we’re supporting legislation that is grounded in four essential principles on energy:
- Bring or procure independent clean generation
Large customers with large loads should invest directly in meeting their own energy needs. - Invest in and help pay for grid upgrades
The grid shouldn’t become strained—and residents shouldn’t pay for the necessary improvements caused by private industry expansion. - Prioritize clean energy
Procurement, siting, and operational decisions should be consistent with Virginia’s climate commitments. - Costs should not be shifted to Virginians
Direct and indirect expenses—from substations to transmission lines—must not land on household bills.
With strong policies, Virginia can support innovation and protect families.
The savings are real
Recent independent analysis shows that Virginia households can save $712 per year on energy costs with a combination of smart policies that include holding major energy users accountable for their impacts. That’s real relief for families already facing rising costs—and a reminder that climate-aligned energy policy is also consumer-aligned policy.
Three bills that matter right now: HB155, HB284, and HB897
This session, the NRDC Action Fund is urging lawmakers and Big Tech to support three critical bills that will protect Virginians:
- HB155 Stops hidden rate hikes and prevents unfair cost-shifting.
- HB284 Ensures that data centers contribute their fair share to grid improvements
- HB897 Strengthens clean energy requirements for major electricity users-
These bills represent the most immediate, actionable steps toward aligning the rapid growth of data centers with the Commonwealth’s climate and consumer protection goals.
The ad: Telling Virginians the truth
Our new ad running statewide puts the issue in clear terms:
“Virginia’s Data Center Alley is powering the future—from cloud computing to AI. But all that demand is driving up your electric bill. Here’s the good news….The Virginia legislature can vote to protect consumers and support cleaner power. These bills stop hidden rate hikes. And they require data centers to pay for the electricity they use—instead of sticking you with the cost. Call the legislature and tell them to support bills HB155, HB284, and HB897.”
This February, let’s show that Virginia is for lovers…and for leadership
Virginia can be a national model for balancing technological innovation with consumer protection and strong climate policies. But only if lawmakers act now—and only if powerful industries share responsibility for the impacts of their growth.
The NRDC Action Fund is committed to ensuring that they do.
