Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger has signed Executive Order 22, establishing an Artificial Intelligence Task Force to assess risks related to employment, data privacy, and cybersecurity. Simultaneously, the state introduced a Data Center Accountability Framework to tighten oversight of infrastructure projects and increase local community involvement in the approval process.
The new framework prohibits state agencies from signing non-disclosure agreements regarding commercial data center projects. It mandates a comprehensive audit of backup power facilities, such as diesel generators, and accelerates the development of noise regulations. Furthermore, the state will implement stricter standards for energy efficiency, water usage, and land management at these sites.
To address energy costs, the state plans to shift a larger share of transmission and generation expenses onto data centers, preventing these costs from being passed to residential consumers. Developers will be required to provide stronger financial commitments upfront to ensure that projects do not occupy grid resources or land without being fully realized.
The policy also restricts the scale of on-site natural gas power generation and prioritizes grid access for data centers that invest in clean energy. While some measures are effective immediately via executive order, others require legislative approval during the 2027 state assembly session, meaning their long-term implementation depends on future legislative outcomes.
