Legislature considers shifting power line costs from residents to data centers

By: Shannon Heckt

Outlets: Virginia Mercury

Published: February 19, 2026

Words: 817

Last Updated: 2 weeks, 5 days ago

Body Text Preview

Multiple measures working through the General Assembly could put more of the costs that are driving up residential power bills onto data centers.

They range from direct mandates to shift the costs of distribution lines and capacity auctions, to urging the State Corporation Commission to investigate whether ratepayers are subsidizing energy infrastructure that’s primarily used by data centers.

Senate Bill 253

Senate Bill 253 by Sen. Louis Lucas, D-Portsmouth, cleared the chamber and …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

Email Us