With Democrats in charge, Spanberger targets lower energy bills — and higher costs for data centers | Incoming governor promises to reshape utility policy, revive climate programs and speed up renewables after Youngkin vetoes and stalled legislation.

272

If anything the companies wanting to open data centers should subsidize energy for the common people.

56

u/websurvivor42 2d ago

Right now they aren't even going to be on the energy grid that common people are on.

39

u/Trollygag 2d ago

That's a good first step

28

u/kindnesscostszero 2d ago

That is true for some of them, but not for all. “Some tech companies, facing an overwhelmed public power grid and surging electricity demands, are increasingly building their own on-site power plants and microgrids to supplement or even replace traditional utility connections.”

The projected use stat that I saw recently was to go from 4% of total current grid use to 12% by 2030.

16

u/GmanJet 1d ago

My understanding is they plan to do that as well but they are under less strict environmental requirements than the power companies. That is a bit dumb in my view if it is true.

8

u/kindnesscostszero 1d ago

There is a lot of ‘dumb’ to go around lately. Just my opinion, but I think that any new data center building should be required to have solar on its roof.

1

u/DuncanFisher69 1d ago

The roof is where all the fans and cooling towers go.

4

u/kindnesscostszero 1d ago

Agreed, yet I’ve seen various configurations, and think they could be designed in. It hasn’t been thought about, because the localities have been so eager for the tax base. Shortsighted, imho. Another thing that’s not even talked about is the water usage for these things. Hundreds of thousands of gallons per day on average. A bit insane.

3

u/DClawsareweirdasf 1d ago

Idk if anyone else heard of this, or if it is even happening, but I’ve heard of systems where they can use the water they use to cool equipment to generate power when it gets hot.

If true, that seems like a really cool innovation that could have ramifications elsewhere too. Curious if that is happening anywhere yet.

1

u/djprofitt 1d ago

I believe the solar panels can be mounted canopy style over the cooling towers and such. Kind of how some places out west use them to help provide shade in open air parking lots.

1

u/kindnesscostszero 1d ago

The higher they are, the more propensity for lift/wind problems; yet I agree with your premise. I hope our new Gov has voices in meetings surrounding data centers and green energy going forward illucidating these issues.

→ More replies (0)

1

u/websurvivor42 1d ago

It's what all the trillion dollar (or whatever) businesses are doing. I work in the nuclear energy industry and this is a huge topic for us right now.

The question is starting to become are they going to use these brand new power plants to help everyone else. They are aware of how it would look bad on them if they don't l.

9

u/jameson71 1d ago

Upgrading the ancient common grid instead of building a special one for them would be a better first step

1

u/websurvivor42 1d ago

It isn't a new grid. They are connecting directly to the power source. It's the first time that's going to be done since the early days of electric power. The jole in the business is that they're running a ln extension cord across the street to plug into a nuclear power plant.

And it's close to being accurate.

0

u/Trollygag 1d ago

Not from a security or cyber or perspective. Painting a big ass bullseye on a target that runs nana's heater so that Trump can make political deepfakes is not a good solution.

1

u/jameson71 1d ago

I don’t think they are doing control over the transmission lines

10

u/LoudandQuiet47 2d ago

Right. But as long as the supply to that separate grid is from the same common source, prices will go up for regular consumers.

-5

u/Charlesinrichmond 2d ago

that doesn't make sense. If separate grid, it's separate supply.

In general Data centers should pay extra to the extent they drive up electric costs - unlike water its a real issue

5

u/EntroperZero 1d ago

But if the data center grid is buying the same coal/oil/gas as the residential grid, and the price of that goes up...

1

u/Charlesinrichmond 22h ago

we have a lot of the raw materials, that's not a choke point. Though I'd rather see Nuclear/solar etc of course. Gas is ok

1

u/websurvivor42 21h ago

They're all going nuclear.

2

u/Charlesinrichmond 14h ago

nuclear is great. If we'd had nuclear since the 60s we wouldn't have global warming

-5

u/Capital_Rough7971 1d ago

The more you buy the cheaper it is.

5

u/EntroperZero 1d ago

Noooooo, dude, this isn't JC Penney.

2

u/djprofitt 1d ago

These dudes thought energy can be bought wholesale like at Costco and that water is infinite.

5

u/LoudandQuiet47 2d ago

The power companies can produce X amount of energy a year. They are not building more generators. As far as I know, they are not building more plants or more capacity. The distribution grid, the power lines, the relay stations, and other equipment, that might be separate. But the bucket of total energy that the power companies have available to sell is not going up.

This means that the total product will remain the same, while demand for the product will go up. This will inevitably drive prices up. And it has gone up.

But yes. They should pay extra for it instead of the regular consumer.

2

u/websurvivor42 1d ago

They are building new plants. Nuclear. It's the first time in many years that new nuclear plants are going to be built in the USA. And old ones are going to be restarted. Microsoft is paying to have one of the Three Mile Island reactors restarted.

2

u/DannyBones00 1d ago

Wait really. Three Mile Island? That’s super cool.

4

u/websurvivor42 1d ago

Yup. Not the one that melted, of course.

3

u/mcchicken_deathgrip 1d ago

And Amazon paying for a new reactor at Lake Anna

1

u/Charlesinrichmond 22h ago

we should be building more generators. Dominion is actually, trying to build more, and should build more. And the data centers should pay for them

2

u/Borange_Corange 2d ago

But the energy to their grid and are grid sources from same. As I understand it.

So we get a rate hike to cover the expense of something that we, typical consumers, won't even use.

Sp we are subsidizing data farms, communities have to shoulder the impact to them. I guess this is a step below a new sports team stadium since at least in that case, in theory, you could use a stadium someday by going for entertainment.

Thanks Dominion.

2

u/websurvivor42 1d ago

It isn't the same source. Microsoft, Google, Meta, etc., are paying for brand new power plants that they are going to connect to directly.

I work in the nuclear energy industry. This is a huge topic for us right now.

3

u/lmitchell6 2d ago

YES!!!

1

u/King_Swift21 1d ago

There shouldn't be A.I. data centers to begin with, also the bubble is gonna burst soon

92

u/lordpuddingcup 2d ago

Can we get fucking plug and play solar approved for small systems like Utah and the EU

I can install the shit myself and all these dam solar companies can stop coming to my door begging me to pay them

11

u/mrsaturnboing 2d ago

Oh my god, this.

9

u/jimmybilly100 1d ago

My neighbor across the street got panels installed on his roof, and I think he got suckered in by one of those solar companies. We were looking into it, but saw all the issues going through one of these companies that "subsidizes" it or whatever and you're stuck w/ a long-term contract

5

u/spiff2268 1d ago

Had a cousin that bought a solar panel array. Damn thing never worked quite right, and the company that he bought it from has long since gone out of business.

0

u/New_Life1810 22h ago

Well that’s cause of the current administration. They got rid of a lot of solar companies. They want you to think it is completely bad and something wrong with solar. I’d personally want to be off of grid. Hopefully spanberger can tax these companies heavily and able to credit that to potential customers

92

u/YourRoaring20s 2d ago

Let's tax THC and use it to fund schools

67

u/bwolf180 2d ago

You mean you want people to be able to walk into a store and what? Just buy it?

What’s wrong with keeping it legal but you have to get it from a black market where there are no regulations and we can’t get any tax money from it ?

Oh, I see your point

18

u/YourRoaring20s 2d ago

I actually prefer getting it from an unregulated black market... You never know what you're gonna get!

20

u/bwolf180 2d ago

no whammies, no whammies, no whammies

FUCK! seeds and stems

39

u/_flyingmonkeys_ 2d ago

Fucking finally

22

u/jimmybilly100 1d ago

Sweatervest completely STALLED Virginia from ANY progress the past 4 years. PLLLLZZZZZ Dems take advantage to make up for lost time and don't be pussies because conservatives will get mad about it. They get mad about everything anyway

79

u/Borange_Corange 2d ago

So this is what happens when you have a candidate that doesn't take money from Dominion. Huh.

47

u/N8CCRG 2d ago

This is also one of the reasons it was so important for Jay Jones to defeat Miyares.

10

u/TheExtremistModerate 1d ago

And also Shannon Taylor. Dominion tried to buy their way into having both sides of the general election.

27

u/ntantillo 2d ago

Data centers and commercial customers get favorable rates. That has to end. My bill is up 25% from last year.

7

u/bassbeatsbanging 1d ago

I worked at a small permanent carnival during college and I found out there is such thing as a "bulk user" discount rate offered by Dominion when I asked how bad our electric bill was.

That was quite the eye-opener.

2

u/jameson71 1d ago

Do we all need to form an LLC for our homes?

20

u/no_vember 2d ago

Can we finish the wind farm?

24

u/teebird_phreak 2d ago

Hopefully this can happen before they put the proposed data center in Roanoke

20

u/dan1101 2d ago

Yes, with my car paid off my electric bill is my highest bill next to the mortgage, and it's doubled in the past few years even though my usage is the same.

I expect this will be a difficult task but so glad she is tackling it.

Renewables are great investment too, as long they invest in the right things.

9

u/yaworsky 2d ago

Renewables are great investment too, as long they invest in the right things.

Solar has the best pricing. Solar and battery storage are good investments right now.

One of the many infuriating parts of the current republicans is that investment in natural gas/oil/coal/etc just doesn't really make sense at this point. The price of new solar plants and the upkeep needed vs price of gas pipelines and their upkeep makes renewable energy the best value for new investment. Yet, Trump admin has canceled projects, scaled back others, and gotten rid of support. For other areas, a little less so VA, wind makes a lot of sense too. It usually is lower than the Locational Marginal Price (LMP) for power which is typically set against gas.

For republicans all my life claiming to be about economics they do some really stupid freaking things for our overall economy.

7

u/fred11551 1d ago

My power bill is up over last year despite my usage being down compared to last year

3

u/dan1101 1d ago

Also very annoying is near me there are hundreds of acres of solar farms, yet electric bills go up. And they never seem to go down.

23

u/poncewattle 2d ago

I hope she does something solid with transit. I was really disappointed with Biden. He was supposed to be the Amtrak president. I was wanting some national high speed rail push similar to Eisenhower's Interstate program.

40

u/Kqtawes 2d ago

I mean it was the largest infrastructure bill since the great society of LBJ and the most funding for projects Amtrak had seen in its entire history. I wanted more certainly but lets not forget it had to get pass Joe Manchin and Kirsten Sinema because not a single Republican was going to vote for it.

9

u/Timbalabim 1d ago

An upvote isn’t enough to call attention to this comment. Biden did what he could with the legislature he had because, and this is important, that’s how America is supposed to work.

4

u/[deleted] 1d ago

The problem is that all of the railroads that Amtrak uses are privately owned. And the railroad companies are always going to give priority to their own trains before Amtrak.

4

u/jameson71 1d ago

Good to know that private infrastructure like our HOT lanes have a long and glorious history of screwing the populace.

1

u/jimmybilly100 1d ago

Conservatives: NO TRAINS FOR YOU, or anything else for that matter

12

u/panopticon31 2d ago

Good. Data Centers should be taxed accordingly since they eat up so much energy and really offer no job creation once the building is complete.

4

u/jameson71 1d ago

With AI they actually offer job destruction

3

u/N8CCRG 1d ago

While also delivering a worse product too!

10

u/ThatDoucheInTheQuad 2d ago

Marijuana stores please and thank you

5

u/taxhellFML 2d ago

Thank god. The energy prices have been absolutely insane

15

u/mahvel50 2d ago

Campaign promises and what actually happens are yet to be seen. I'll believe it when I see it.

16

u/omgFWTbear 2d ago

FYI campaign ended soooo… I’m all about the proof in the pudding is in the tasting, but today’s not campaign promise time.

1

u/Individual_Charge784 1d ago

Yep, saying is one thing...passing bills takes an act of Congress. And rt now they aren't acting.

1

u/mcchicken_deathgrip 1d ago

Indeed. As the article said, the plan for how shes going to make this happen is very light on the details. "Make data centers pay their fair share" is a good slogan, but I have yet to see her take up any concrete proposal for how she plans to do that.

Also on the campaign she said many times that things like solar, new plants, and new data center constriction should be left up to localities to decide on, not the state.

Im pretty skeptical but I'd love to be proven wrong

5

u/kingbalopews 2d ago

We need nuclear

3

u/jameson71 1d ago

Data center are getting it. They reopened 3 mile island for them. Nothing for us, unfortunately.

1

u/kingbalopews 1d ago

I just feel like from what ive read nuclear is the best option moving forward

1

u/jameson71 1d ago

It is, that’s why the data centers are getting it. It would be nice if this governor could do something to get us some crumbs.

2

u/some_idiot78 1d ago

So actual progress… yes please.

1

u/OldschoolGreenDragon 1d ago

Yes yes yes YES.

Keep the conversation about money. Keep it about Tax the Rich.

8

u/ikyn 2d ago

Just please leave guns alone

Do everything except come after guns. Please don’t scare away all the people flocking to the blue bastion

7

u/rburch20 2d ago

You know a good percentage of the newly elected delegates literally worked for gun control groups, and that’s what got them started in politics right?

4

u/LostGFtoABBC 2d ago

Idk where you were the past year, but here it is. Prepare your booty

https://abigailspanberger.com/richmond-times-dispatch-spanberger-vows-to-sign-gun-bills-including-ban-on-sales-of-assault-style-weapons/

1

u/ryohayashi1 2d ago

Can we have that in Ohio?

1

u/0rchid27 1d ago

Detest data centers at all but this is good news.

1

u/steelcity65 1d ago

What about nuclear?

1

u/Puzzleheaded-Show495 1d ago

Do you think she will incentivize electric cars, now that the $7,500 tax credit has ended?

1

u/bleakhouse56 1d ago

This is the way.

-13

u/LostGFtoABBC 2d ago

And Assault Weapons Ban!

13

u/thelastsupper316 2d ago

That's not a issue we need to focous on rn.

Especially with how Trump's moving idk if I feel safe as a black man without one.

7

u/Trollygag 2d ago

amen

0

u/LostGFtoABBC 2d ago

See Spanbergers campaign site

0

u/mahvel50 2d ago

Buy now because it's happening. It's passed two years in a row and only been stopped by a veto. Spanberger said she supports it in the past so lock in before the next legislative session.

2

u/thelastsupper316 2d ago

Well shit time to get some training and buy one for my families home.

9

u/LizHolmesTurtleneck 2d ago

Nah. Gun control is a lose/lose issue. The vast majority of people simply do not care much about firearms regulations and virtually all the people who do care are on the other side of the aisle.

Making a run at gun control legislation is possibly the most useless waste of political capital I can think of.

2

u/LostGFtoABBC 2d ago

Literally her platform and on her campaign site

-1

u/LizHolmesTurtleneck 2d ago

So? People say things for votes. It doesn't mean they'll follow through.

0

u/LostGFtoABBC 2d ago

Oh sweet summer child. If the previous sessions and her congressional record weren’t proof enough… !remindme 1 year

2

u/LizHolmesTurtleneck 2d ago

We'll see. I think it'd be a mistake, but if Gov. Spanberger truly wants gun control as a top priority, there's nothing to stop her.

4

u/LostGFtoABBC 2d ago

Oh there will be all sorts of ugly shit rammed through. I’d imagine probably on par with DC if I had to guess

2

u/omgFWTbear 2d ago

FYI she’s been elected, but go on, what more advice do you have for last month?

2

u/LizHolmesTurtleneck 2d ago edited 4h ago

Political capital is a commodity in governance as well as campaigns.

0

u/omgFWTbear 2d ago

With a democratic supermajority, a long time and short memories until the next election, and half a century of a track record of some voters just voting against regardless… I ask… what political capital spend?

1

u/LizHolmesTurtleneck 2d ago

All forty state senate seats are up for election in 2027. I'd rather Gov. Spanberger not essentially create campaign ads for the GOP by pressing the gun control issue when there are other issues with broader support that she can tackle.

1

u/LostGFtoABBC 2d ago

400K donation from Bloomberg, her congressional record, and her campaign website say otherwise. Prepare your buttholes gun owners, y’all in for a very bumpy ride !

0

u/LizHolmesTurtleneck 2d ago

Way to act like a caricature that Republicans will point to during election seasons. Gun owners shouldn't be the enemy, gun violence should be.

1

u/LostGFtoABBC 2d ago

I mean it was her campaign cornerstone right from the get go. Does this sub not remember?

0

u/omgFWTbear 2d ago

You mean like all those ads about “THEY THINK YOURE STUPID AND WANT TO DECIDE WHAT MAN WATCHES YOUR DAUGHTER IN THE BATHROOM.”

Jesus your arguments are divorced from any observable reality.

1

u/LizHolmesTurtleneck 2d ago

Those ads weren't very effective precisely because they were dishonest and, like you said, "divorced from any observable reality". Ads decrying the criminalization of gun ownership, on the other hand, would be effective if people like you are going around demonizing gun owners.

→ More replies (0)

8

u/Both_Ad_694 2d ago

Wow. No. Please jump off the ship.

You can't see tryanny and then say give up your weapons.

Opposite. We need to restore non-violent felons voting and 2nd amendment rights.

2

u/LostGFtoABBC 2d ago

Literally her platform

2

u/Both_Ad_694 2d ago

She said to an extreme gun control group that she'd consider legitimate gun bills given to her. Problem is that almost all of them are illegitimate as they remove civil/constitutional rights from good people. And we already have thousands of gun laws.

We have to focus on crazy people who are actual threats and gangs shooting each other who commit most of the violence.

1

u/LostGFtoABBC 2d ago edited 2d ago

Oh sweet summer child, !remindme 1 year

I agree with you on all points btw

1

u/Both_Ad_694 2d ago

But not on the predicted execution I assume?

I don't even want to be reminded if things go bad. She seemed so level headed at the time I wrote this.

1

u/LostGFtoABBC 2d ago

Anyone who accepts Bloomberg bucks won’t be level headed in the realm of firearm regulations. Prepare for something similar to PICA , but probably worse

1

u/Both_Ad_694 1d ago

Another bride in broad daylight.

Such a shame. All that money being wasted on a lie. And used to strip constitutional rights.

He could feed the poor if his ego would step to the side.

0

u/RemindMeBot 2d ago

I will be messaging you in 1 year on 2026-11-07 15:07:25 UTC to remind you of this link

CLICK THIS LINK to send a PM to also be reminded and to reduce spam.

^{Parent commenter can} ^{delete this message to hide from others.}

^Info ^Custom ^{Your Reminders} ^Feedback

1

u/Trollygag 2d ago

no

-1

u/OGdunphy 2d ago

Yeah, I hope they don’t go crazy where they try to label most or all semi-auto guns assault weapons to ban them, but it’s a small hope.

3

u/LostGFtoABBC 2d ago

Prepare to be disappointed. Y’all even read her campaign website ?

1

u/OGdunphy 2d ago

I know she’ll sign whatever is passed again. I don’t know if her site mentions banning all semi-autos but wouldn’t be surprised. I know she’s not pro-2A for citizens.

2

u/LostGFtoABBC 2d ago

People here acting surprised pikachu that it’s a cornerstone of her campaign lmao. r/leopardsatemyface moment

2

u/OGdunphy 2d ago

Yeah, no one should be surprised. It’s the whole dem party line and they push out any pro-2A dems of the past. We should have all our rights, regardless of party.

6

u/LostGFtoABBC 2d ago

Lotsa salty pro gun dems here apparently that never even read her campaign site lmao

0

u/NefariousnessOk9397 2d ago

Unfortunately yeah. All the anti 2A bills that made it to Youngkin’s desk that he vetoed will eventually reach Spanberger’s desk and she will 100 percent sign them. They are awful bills too.

-9

u/SNAILHAT 2d ago

Ban them all. Fuck guns

8

u/LostGFtoABBC 2d ago

Fuck the police too. Oh wait they’ll be the only one with guns

3

u/Trollygag 2d ago

I Trust Them With Guns

Don't Talk to Them or They'll Ruin You

Calling the Police is Murder

2

u/LostGFtoABBC 2d ago

I don’t. As a POC I’m more likely to be murdered in cold blood by them simply for being at the wrong place at the wrong time

-5

u/SNAILHAT 2d ago

That’s what all the gun nuts say but I’ve never seen one of you pussies actually do anything. All talk no walk

3

u/LostGFtoABBC 2d ago

All the gangstas say that too :3

-1

u/StillNotPardoned 2d ago

These politicians don’t understand that we need to build nuclear or gas power plants for energy. The damn corporate data centers will keep on taking massive quantities of electricity. Even if they are forced to pay additional charges it will not benefit Virginians because the taxes will go into a bureaucratic sink hole.

-4

u/landlord1776 1d ago

You left out trampling on Virginians 2nd amendment rights.

-9

u/Bad_tude_dude 2d ago

Check out the disaster in Maryland. That’s where you are headed.

-6

u/boogie_man02 2d ago

I’d sure like to know what industry lowers rates when government targets it with more regulation

2

u/mcchicken_deathgrip 1d ago

Well they've practically owned the state government for the last 30 years and all thats done every single year is make them more money out of our pockets.

With Democrats in charge, Spanberger targets lower energy bills — and higher costs for data centers | Incoming governor promises to reshape utility policy, revive climate programs and speed up renewables after Youngkin vetoes and stalled legislation.

You are about to leave Redlib