How Virginia became the world’s data center capital and how it’s going

By: Nathaniel Cline, Shannon Heckt

Outlets: Virginia Mercury

Published: July 6, 2026

Words: 1,818

Last Updated: 1 week, 6 days ago

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Demand for internet access and electronic storage has grown alongside digital technology itself. At the center of that growth are the energy infrastructure and data centers that governments and companies began developing in Northern Virginia in the late 20th century. Today, the region houses the world’s largest concentration of data centers, making Virginia the nation’s digital capital.

That growth has brought major economic benefits for local governments, but it has also divided communities increasingly …

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