Virginia has become a major data-center hub. In 2026, lawmakers considered numerous data-center bills covering issues such as energy cost shifts, water reporting, oversight, and tax policy. Recent reporting has also described local electricity-cost pressure and a new tax on data-center electricity usage tied to Virginia’s budget agreement. Supporters say data centers bring investment, tax revenue, and digital infrastructure. Critics worry about electric bills, grid reliability, water use, noise, land impacts, and whether incentives still make sense at this scale. Virginia should not chase away every data center, but the public needs proof that growth will not quietly raise bills or overwhelm local systems.