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Loudoun County hosts open house as debate over data center growth continues

By
FOX 5 DC
Loudoun County
Published September 28, 2026 10:13 PM EDT
Published September 28, 2026 10:13 PM EDT
article

Data Center

The Brief

    • Loudoun County held a community open house to hear from residents about the future of data centers.
    • The meeting came as the debate and pushback over expanding data center infrastructure continues.
    • The feedback will help shape recommendations expected to go before the planning commission in 2027.

ASHBURN, Va. - Loudoun County held the first in a series of community open houses in Ashburn Monday to give residents a chance to weigh in on the future of data center development in the community.

What we know:

The event, held at Broad Run High School, allowed community members to speak directly with county staff, take surveys and view noise-monitoring demonstrations. Similar open houses for tech infrastructure have taken place in Loudoun County and across the region, including in Prince William County.

The feedback gathered from the sessions will help shape recommendations that are expected to go before the planning commission in 2027.

The open house comes amid public debates and community pushback over rapid infrastructure expansion. Neighbors have expressed concerns over noise levels, power consumption, power substations and the proximity of data centers to surrounding neighborhoods.

"I think they need some guidelines, especially for controlling some emissions and the noise. And too close to where people live... yeah, they need some standards," said Loudoun County residents Kathy and Paul Wagner, who noted they live just 500 feet away from existing infrastructure.

In response to growing community concerns, Loudoun County supervisors recently approved a one-year pause on certain new AI data centers and substation applications, giving officials time to review standards for future projects.

However, supporters of data center infrastructure emphasize the economic benefits, pointing to substantial local revenue and employment opportunities for workers like contractors and electricians.

Don Slaiman, political coordinator for the IBW Local 26 electricians union, highlighted the financial and labor impact of the industry in the region.

"That is a lot of revenue coming to this state, that is a lot of great jobs," Slaiman said. "I have 1,018 members who live in the richest county in the country right here in Loudoun... we have 17,500 members... we have doubled our membership in the last 9 years."

The Source: information in this article is from a Loudoun County open house and previous FOX 5 DC reporting. 

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