Data Centers in Virginia

166 data centers in Northern Virginia (2019)
Source: Baxtel, Northern Virginia Colocation & Data Center Market

In 2019, Virginia had 186 data centers. Of those, 166 were concentrated in Loudoun, Fairfax, Prince William, and Fauquier counties.

Only five were west of the Blue Ridge in Norton, Blacksburg, Covington, Waynesboro, plus two in Harrisonburg. There were individual data centers in Culpeper, Charlottesville, Lynchburg, and Mecklenburg. Virginia Beach had three others, and the remaining eight were near Richmond.¹

The top data center provider was Digital Realty Trust, operating 30 facilities occupying over 3 million gross square feet (including space for offices as well as servers). All were in Northern Virginia, the "Data Center Alley" that had evolved into an ecosystem providing the world's largest data center market.

Equinix controlled 16 data centers occupying over 1 million gross square feet, all in Northern Virginia. The company's Asburn Campus was the largest data center complex in Virginia. Connectivity there was key. Customers located in one of the nine buildings, with a total of nearly 600,0000 gross square feet, could be connected directly to any other customer even if they were located in another building.

The QTS data center in Henrico County's in the White Oak Technology Park was the second-largest complex in the state. The three buildings were located at the former Qimonda semiconductor plant, which used to manufacture memory chips.²

"Fiber Alley" in Loudoun County includes multiple data centers west of Loudoun County Parkway and north of Waxpool Road
Source: ESRI, ArcGis Online

By 2021, the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) claimed that Virginia was "The World's Largest Data Center Market" because:³

Data centers operating in Virginia benefit from densely packed fiber backbones and a massive network of data centers that currently move an estimated 70% of the world’s internet traffic daily, as well as an advantageous cost environment centered on a competitive tax rate, affordable and abundant electricity (with rapidly expanding renewable power options), and competitive construction costs.

Electricity Transmission in Virginia

Prince William Digital Gateway

Virginia and the Internet

computer processing in the 1960's required more space but less electricity
Source: Library of Virginia, IBM machine, City Hall (July 21, 1961)

data centers often require construction of new transmission lines to deliver electricity

Links

• Data Center
• The Greater Washington Area
• Data Center Coalition
• Piedmont Environmental Council
• Data Centers
• Is That a Data Center in the Fields?
• Virginia Connects
• Virginia Data Center Reform Coalition

data center west of Haymarket
Source: Historic Prince William, Aerial Photo Survey 2019

in 2021, data centers in Virginia were concentrated in Northern Virginia and the Richmond area
Source: Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP), Data Centers in Virginia

"Data Center Alley" expanded from Loudoun County into Prince William County
Source: Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC), Existing and Proposed Data Centers – A Web Map (June, 2024)

backup generators at data centers are tested monthly, to ensure electricity will always be available
Source: HOA RoundTable, Huge Plumes of Diesel Exhaust Billowing From a Loudoun County Data Center Diesel Generators

References

electrical substations are concentrated in Northern Virginia to serve both the residential and commercial demand, particularly from data centers
Source: Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia's Land and Energy Navigator (VALEN)