The Loudoun Chamber opposes this legislation because: This legislation proposes adding a “certificate of operation” from the SCC to the long list of local, state, and federal permits already required to build and operate large, capital-intensive industries. In addition, this new requirement unnecessarily creates additional regulatory uncertainty that will drive up project costs, creating a drag on the creation of high-paying jobs and lucrative tax revenues for the Commonwealth and its local jurisdictions. This legislation already risks signaling to businesses considering major economic investments in the Commonwealth that their time and money may best be invested elsewhere – all without demonstrable benefits for Virginians.

We need to regulate data centers and the data center industry. While we should have regulated them before more than 350 invaded our state, we have an opportunity now. Senate Bill 619 would require all new data centers to obtain a certificate of operation from the State Corporation Commission before connecting to the electric grid. It would guarantee ratepayer protection and prove that data centers can support the grid infrastructure and meet Virginia's clean energy goals. Please support this bill and protect our resources from exploitation.

SUPPORT, especially SB619, so that its electricity use standards are already in place before it is approved. We want data centers to be required to have electricity use evaluated and be certified before approval. We do not want our electricity bills to be higher for the unregulated energy usage part of our bill because of the data center in Botetourt County.

The Southwest Virginia Data Center Transparency Alliance supports SB619 as written as of 03/02/2026. The energy data centers require in a state that is already importing so much of its electricity must be brought under control, and dealing with usage and conservation up front in the planning stage will mitigate so many issues later on. Please support SB619.

I’m writing in support of SB 619. I live in a rural area and we do not have the infrastructure for data center creation at the moment. But we are at risk for the large power lines, higher energy bills and water shortages. The data center industry needs better guardrails and this bill helps with that. It’s also only fair that data centers pay their fair share in taxes.

The Virginia Grassroots Coalition, an organization of over 50 groups with 10,000 members, urge you to vote in favor of SB619, one of the most consequential bills addressing the unchecked growth and operation of high-load data center facilities in Virginia. Without meaningful state-level oversight, the current “wild west” approach is putting our energy infrastructure at serious risk — threatening grid reliability (brownouts and blackouts), driving up electricity costs for families and small businesses, undermining Virginia’s clean energy laws, and degrading community health and environmental quality. SB619 is a game changer. The bill establishes essential state oversight by requiring every high-load data center facility to obtain a certificate of operation from the SCC before operating. Specifically, it directs the SCC to evaluate: (a) impacts on grid reliability; (b) effects on electricity rates for residential and other customers; (c) environmental and public health consequences; and, (d) alignment with Virginia’s clean energy commitments Critically, the bill also requires applicants to demonstrate — as a precondition — that they have secured energy storage, zero-carbon generation, or other measures to offset peak-hour demand. This ensures that new large loads do not shift costs or reliability risks onto households. Virginia cannot afford to delay. Legislators should not kick this issue down the road while irreversible infrastructure decisions are being made. SB619 provides responsible guardrails to protect ratepayers, public health, and the integrity of our energy system. We respectfully ask you to vote yes to SB619.

Nature Forward strongly supports SB619. This bill might be the single most important step Virginia can take this year to ensure grid-level oversight to protect our energy future, as it would allow the State Corporation Commission (SCC) to additionally consider impacts on the grid, reliability, and ratepayers before issuing a certificate for any high-load facilities. Please vote “yes” in support of SB619.

Data centers are being developed at accelerating rates without any upfront review of the costs or risks to Virginians. This bill seeks to protect Virginians like me from the rising costs and environmental impacts of these high-load facilities. After this recent winter weather, my electric bill was more than half my mortgage! I'm a student working part time, so these high bills put a major strain on me. Anything you can do to help protect Virginians like me from paying the costs of these data centers would make a difference. I respectfully urge you to vote YES on SB619.