Public Comments for: SB960 - Electric utilities; data center cost allocation.
Last Name: Ray Organization: Bren Pointe Homeowners Association Locality: ALEXANDRIA

As the President of the Bren Pointe Homeowners Association representing my community dealing with the proposed Plaza 500 data center project that will include 466,000 sq. ft. data center building , 5-acre electrical substation, and transmission lines proposed less than 100 ft. from resident homes, these common sense bills would provide basic protections for residents (https://sites.google.com/view/savebrenmar/home). This data center proposal was specifically referenced in the JLARC report as being "too close" to residents. (pg. 79, https://jlarc.virginia.gov/pdfs/reports/Rpt598-2.pdf) This project is illustrative of the impacts that data center development, including transmission lines and substations, have on communities. The SCC is currently considering its review of the substation and transmission lines in this proposal, and while alternatives like undergrounding of transmission lines and relocating the substation to an existing substation location, those alternatives are being rejected because of cost to Dominion. If cost allocation was shifted to the data center customer it would make alternatives that significantly mitigate impacts to residents more viable. Your bill is really important for residents and for alternatives to be able to be considered that mitigate impacts. Thank you, Tyler Ray President, Bren Pointe HOA Board of Directors 6186 Veneto Terrace Alexandria, VA 22312

Last Name: Diana Locality: Gainesville

In Northern VA, we need protection from unconstrained data center growth, which is negatively impacting our environment and quality of life. This extreme level of development affects the affordability and reliability of electrical power, forcing local residents to pay for infrastructure costs that they are not causing and which provides them with no benefits. SB960 seeks to ensure protections. PLEASE support SB960.

Last Name: Painter Locality: Gainesville

I will make this short. Thanks to Loudoun and Pr William County governments, the Northern Virginia area is fast becoming the world's largest conglomeration of data centers and poses great environmental risks to the residents of those counties. In addition, all residents of Virginia should NOT be required to pay increased electricity rates to support the multi-million dollar companies that are building and leasing the data center facilities. You must protect the residential consumer.

Last Name: Bolthouse Locality: Warrenton

SB960 is the bare minimum the General Assembly must do to protect ratepayers. Although the SCC may already have the power do this sort of review now, they have repeatedly chosen not to utilize it. Direction must be given from the General Assembly. Please pass SB960 without further amendments.

Last Name: Wright Organization: private citizen Locality: Prince William County

Virginia is running out of time to protect our communities from unconstrained data center growth, as identified in a recent JLARC study. The current path of reckless data center growth is challenging the affordability and reliability of electrical power. SB960 seeks to ensure protection of ratepayers who are footing the bill for infrastructure costs they are not causing. We do not have the luxury to wait yet another year to provide meaningful guardrails on the data center industry. The facts cannot be denied or dismissed any longer. This is not a partisan issue. Now is the time to act. Support SB960.

End of Comments