Virginia voter support for data centers drops from 69% to 35%
Original: Virginia voter support for new data centers collapses from 69% in 2023 to 35% in new poll
Why This Matters
Shows growing public resistance to data center expansion in key US market
A new poll shows Virginia voter support for new data centers collapsed from 69% in 2023 to just 35% currently. The dramatic shift in public opinion comes as the multi-gigawatt, 37-building Digital Gateway project was recently abandoned.
Virginia voters have dramatically reversed their stance on data center development, with support plummeting 34 percentage points in just one year according to a new poll. The sharp decline in public backing coincides with the abandonment of the massive Digital Gateway project, which would have included 37 buildings and required multi-gigawatt power capacity. The poll reflects growing concerns among residents about the environmental and infrastructure impacts of large-scale data center construction in the state. Virginia has become a major hub for data center development due to its proximity to Washington D.C. and favorable business climate, but local opposition appears to be mounting as projects grow larger and more power-intensive.