The rules on data centers in Virginia
1 tracked policy event in Virginia. 1 interconnection deadlines bind projects in this state. As of 15 September 2026.
In plain words
Virginia has 1 tracked decision on data centers — listed below with a link to the original. None of them is a ban. See where they are in Virginia, or check your own address.
Decisions on file
1
bans, new charges, siting rules
Big new power users
0
none published for this state
Counties involved
71
with power on the waiting list
Who runs the grid here
PJM
read from county coverage
Every decision on file for Virginia
1 tracked
| Date | Level | What happened | Category | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| state | Virginia 2026 session: no consensus on data-center bills; Data Center Coalition fields 5+ lobbyists HB155, HB503 and others on ratepayer protection and siting died or carried over; DCC retained Hunton Andrews Kurth through Apr 2027. Largest DC market remains fully open. source | siting | carried-over |
Decisions made by the grid operator, not the state
1 items · PJM
Virginia sits in PJM. These reach projects here through the regional grid operator rather than through the state government.
| Date | Market | What happened | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-16 | PJM | PJM board acts on CIFP Large Load Additions; proposes new co-located-load service classes source | pending-ferc |
Key dates for projects here
1 dated · next closes 2027-01-01 (PJM)
| Queue | What closes | Closes | Standing |
|---|---|---|---|
| PJM | Dominion GS-5 (Virginia SCC PUR-2025-00058) - ESAs signed on or after this date carry the 14-year term From this date the GS-5 large-load tariff carries a 14-year minimum term, alongside the reported 85% of contracted transmission demand minimum and $1… | 2027-01-01 | unconfirmed source |
| FERC | FERC large-load show cause — stakeholder comments on RTO responses Comments on the six RTO/ISO responses to the FPA section 206 show-cause orders of 18 June 2026 (PJM EL26-67, SPP EL26-68, NYISO EL26-69, MISO EL26-70… | No date published yet | unconfirmed source |
| FERC | FERC RM26-4 — generic large-load rulemaking Still at ANOPR stage. | No date published yet | confirmed source |
| FERC | Georgia PSC - Georgia Power must file large-load contracts 30 days before execution A standing obligation rather than a dated one: large-load contracts must be filed with the commission at least 30 days before they are executed. | No date published yet | confirmed source |
A date marked confirmed was checked by a person against the authority's own tariff, order or form page. Anything else is listed so you know it exists, with a link so you can check it yourself. Full calendar.
Federal decisions, which apply everywhere
6 items
| Date | What happened | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-12 | DOE cancels all three remaining proposed NIETC transmission corridors Lake Erie–Canada, Southwestern Grid Connector, and Tribal Energy Access corridors cancelled; the federal corridor-designation framework is dead. State siting is now the whole game. source | final |
| 2026-06-18 | FERC §206 show-cause orders to all six RTOs on large-load integration (EL26-67 through EL26-72) Every RTO/ISO must justify or reform its large-load interconnection rules. PJM (EL26-67) responses due 2026-08-17; comments due 2026-09-16. Compliance filings will become a primary structured source of load-queue transparency. source | open |
| 2026-03-01 | FERC further guidance on co-located load interconnection (EL25-49 line of cases) Follow-on to the Talen–Susquehanna ISA rejection (ER24-2172) and the PJM co-location show-cause; sets the frame for behind-the-meter data centers at generators. source | open |
| 2026-02-12 | EIA-860S emergency-approved: state air-permit inventory of >1 MW backup generators New collection motivated by AI data centers; backup-genset permits are the best forthcoming government proxy for data-center locations. EIA also running voluntary DC pilot surveys in TX, WA, NoVA. source | in-effect |
| 2025-10-23 | FERC opens RM26-4: Interconnection of Large Loads to the Interstate Transmission System DOE §403 directive forced an expedited rulemaking on large-load interconnection (large load defined >20 MW). ANOPR concepts: 60-day studies, cost allocation, co-location reliability rules. source | open |
| 2024-05-13 | Order 2023/2023-A generator interconnection reform — cluster transitions ongoing All ISOs moved to cluster studies with readiness deposits; PJM transition cycles TC1/TC2, ISO-NE first cluster 2026, CAISO Cluster 15. Reshapes every queue metric on this dashboard. source | implementing |
Which counties in Virginia this is happening in
top 10 by power requested
| County | Waiting to connect | Capacity queued |
|---|---|---|
| Brunswick County | 9 | 3.4 GW |
| Fluvanna County | 3 | 2.6 GW |
| Sussex County | 7 | 2.5 GW |
| Greensville County | 4 | 1.9 GW |
| Chesterfield County | 9 | 1.5 GW |
| Charlotte County | 6 | 1.4 GW |
| Caroline County | 6 | 1.1 GW |
| Buckingham County | 4 | 996 MW |
| Loudoun County | 6 | 965 MW |
| Pittsylvania County | 8 | 909 MW |
Before you commit to a site in Virginia
A county report puts the policy position, the queue and the deadlines for one county in a sourced PDF, with the date each figure was true on every page. The first one is free.
Get a free county report Virginia interconnection queue The deadline calendar