In Virginia's Data Center Alley, MIT Technology Review argues the backlash against data centers is largely about electricity

What happened

MIT Technology Review published an analysis from Ashburn, Virginia, the area known as Data Center Alley. The publication describes it as the world's largest data center hub. The reporter visited during last week's midterm elections and argues that the growing national backlash against data centers is driven more by electricity than the tech industry admits.

The piece responds to a view common in Big Tech. Two days after the midterms, OpenAI chief global affairs officer Chris Lehane wrote that data centers "have become a proxy for public unease about affordability, corporate power, and people losing control over their futures," according to the article.

How Virginia's data centers draw power

Grid connections in Loudoun County

MIT Technology Review reported that most data centers in Virginia's Loudoun County connect to the existing grid. They have been built at a steadier pace than the rapid expansion now happening elsewhere in the country. One Equinix facility the reporter toured keeps large diesel generators for backup but gets its power from the utility Dominion Energy, much of whose electricity comes from natural gas.

The average data center in that part of Virginia has a power capacity of 54 megawatts, the article said. That is more than the power draw of Denver International Airport.

Activists and new state rules

Elena Schlossberg, a Virginia activist against data centers, told the publication that "It was always about power," meaning electricity. The article notes that some protesters appear motivated by a broader anti-tech populism. According to the report, recent protests led to new state rules requiring data centers to pay fully for new transmission lines so the cost is not spread among other customers.

Why AI sites are different

Scale beyond the grid

The article says most AI data centers being built elsewhere are not designed like Virginia's. The smallest data centers attractive for AI training are 300 megawatts, and the ideal facilities are closer to 6,000 megawatts. MIT Technology Review compared that larger figure to the estimated draw of Chicago, which is powered by more than 20 power plants within the city.

Because of that scale, companies are going to rural areas with little grid infrastructure and bringing their own power, known as behind the meter power, mostly from natural gas turbines with diesel backup. Anthropic has reportedly agreed to pay $3.4 billion for gas turbines, described as the largest power generation purchase by an AI company. Readers can find more on that company in our coverage of the METR report on Anthropic's research.

Effects on nearby communities

The article notes that natural gas turbines release air pollutants and diesel generators are worse. It cites the Environmental Protection Agency's finding that Elon Musk violated air quality laws when he set up dozens of turbines to power a data center in Memphis. The reporter writes that communities have traditionally expected a say when public utilities build power infrastructure of this size, but private companies are now taking on similar projects.

Other factors in the opposition

MIT Technology Review says electricity is not the only reason for resistance. Fears of job losses, existential risks and concentrated corporate power also play a role, along with misinformation, since most facilities use far less water than many people think, the article said. It adds that protests are pushing companies toward better tax deals, local hiring and more community involvement. More technology coverage is available in our AI and tech section.

What to watch next

• Data center developers told MIT Technology Review they are preparing for new Virginia rules that would cut them off from grid power during peak demand.
• Whether newly elected politicians follow through on the data center stances they campaigned on remains unresolved, according to the article.
• Google announced the day after the elections that it will spend $15 billion on data center projects in Malaysia.
• Schlossberg has raised concerns that a strained grid could lead to more diesel generator use or more fossil fuel generation by Dominion Energy.