Virginia voters have turned sharply against data centers, with comfort levels plunging from 69% to 35% in three years — approaching the level of public discomfort Americans express toward nuclear power plants. A Washington Post-Schar School poll found 57% believe data centers are hurting their energy bills, and two-thirds want to end the state's sales-tax exemption. Read the full story →
Louisiana regulators fast-tracked approval of seven new gas plants to power Meta's data center — a project that could generate 7.5 gigawatts, enough to power roughly 5.6 million homes. The Union of Concerned Scientists estimates Louisiana's electricity costs could rise $26 billion over 15 years from data center growth alone. Read the full story →
Bipartisan lawmakers and the Trump administration agreed that data center operators — not residential ratepayers — should bear the cost of their electricity demand. The Power for the People Act would direct FERC to ensure data centers pay for local transmission upgrades and create a load queue prioritizing facilities that bring their own generation. [Read the full story →]
Today's scan: 82 papers scanned, 440 articles reviewed, 94 stories flagged. Sources included Ogden Newspapers and Gale OneFile publications. Gannett, States Newsroom, Utility Dive, and Loudoun County not yet active for this date.