Coalition to Protect Prince William County – Questions Relating to Data Centers
For Virginia Congressional 7th and 10th District Candidates
Answers provided by:
Suhas Subramanyam June 3rd 2024
NAME DATE
Congress- Virginia’s 10th
CANDIDATE FOR
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Right now, data centers alone account for 20% of the electricity provided statewide by Dominion Energy, and over 50% of the electricity provided by NOVEC service territory. Those percentages are growing. Do you think this is sustainable? What is your position on the growth of Data Centers in northern Virginia over the past decade? (Please provide response here)
No, I do not believe that data center growth in Northern Virginia is sustainable as it is currently set up. Over the past decade, data center projects have been approved without thorough consideration or mitigation of their long term effects on the environment and electricity demands. While they bring necessary revenue for localities, the people in the communities where data centers are built should have a say in their approval.
I have taken the lead to ensure data centers are bastions of sustainable energy instead of our current situation, where Dominion is considering building new natural gas plants to ensure grid stability. Earlier this year, I introduced SB 192, which would stop state subsidies for power plants which don’t generate 90% of their own electricity through renewable sources.
The Coalition to Save Prince William County is currently participating in a lawsuit to block the Digital Gateway, which would site 23 million square feet of Data Centers within a half-mile of Manassas National Battlefield Park. Will you support Federal legislation to prohibit Data Centers within close proximity of national parks and historic sites? (Please provide response here)
Yes.
The growth of Data Centers requires the use of additional power plants, mainly coal-fired and gas-fired, to provide sufficient “baseload” power, thereby nullifying the purpose of the Virginia Clean Economy Act passed in 2020. Will you support Federal legislation to limit Data Centers by requiring that they only use renewable sources and comply with the federal government’s energy star program ENERGY STAR NextGen Certification for Commercial Buildings | ENERGY STAR? (Please provide response here)
Yes, absolutely. I pushed forward legislation in the Virginia Senate that required data centers to comply with renewable energy standards in order to qualify for tax credits from the state.
Given the explosive load demand from Data Centers that is triggering transmission lines which cross not only county boundaries but also state lines, is it appropriate that the Federal government usurp State authority by designating power corridors under the jurisdiction of NIETC? (Please provide response here)
No, I would oppose federal intervention through the NIETC, which would further incentivize data center development and worsen load demand, while cementing fossil fuel energy and increasing ratepayer costs.
Public utilities have a cost sharing structure that spreads investments for new transmission and generation across all ratepayers. Given that the Data Center industry is the trigger for a significant portion of the new transmission and generation infrastructure, in what ways do you support a more appropriate cost shift to the data center industry? (Please provide response here)
I support a sharing structure that focuses the cost of data center electricity demands on the data centers themselves, instead of one that passes those costs onto average ratepayers. I pushed forward legislation in the Virginia Senate for the SCC to determine if the data center industry is receiving unreasonable subsidies from ratepayers, and if so, to change their cost allocation.
As a federal official, in order to understand the cumulative impacts of the data center industry demand on power, water, and agricultural land, will you support a comprehensive report on the impacts to those critical resources? (Please provide response here)
Yes, I would. We should understand the comprehensive effects of data centers on our communities before moving forward with them.
Please share your understanding of the impacts of data center development on both ground and surface water resources. How would you address Data Centers’ impervious surface impacts and water consumption to protect access to clean water? (Please provide response here)
Data centers require an enormous amount of water for cooling. This presents a strain on groundwater resources. They are also constructed from impervious surfaces, the runoff from which can pollute surface water and groundwater.
Provide any additional information that outlines steps you have taken to protect citizens against data center proliferation. (Please provide response here)
I was a Chief Co-Patron of Senator Russet Perry’s legislation for a pilot program to underground 500 kv transmission lines required by data center growth (SB 708), and I also put forward two of my own bills to combat data center proliferation. As the senior Senator for Loudoun, I’ve been hearing from constituents about this issue from day one – and I’ll continue to be an outspoken advocate for limiting data center harm in Congress.
Will you use your position as a member of Congress to speak to the issue of data center proliferation? (Please provide response here)
Yes!