Prince William Planning Commission rejects power station plan tied to data center expansion

BRISTOW, Va. - The Prince William County Planning Commission has voted down a controversial proposal to build a power station intended to support expanding data center operations.

What we know:

In a 5–3 vote late Wednesday, the board denied the proposed plan to construct a 300-megawatt power substation in Bristow. Developers say the substation is critical to powering a new data center campus currently under review.

The proposed site sits on Casey Lane, near the Amberleigh Estates neighborhood. Some homes in the area are already surrounded by data centers linked to tech giants like Google, Amazon, and Microsoft. Residents have raised concerns about health impacts, noise, and strain on the power grid from these facilities.

READ MORE: Montgomery County residents push back on data center proposal

As local pushback intensifies, Virginia lawmakers are also taking aim at the industry’s tax incentives. The state Senate recently voted to end a nearly $2 billion tax break for data centers, requiring them to pay at least a 5% sales tax. The measure still needs approval from the House.

Industry groups warn the move could slow data center construction statewide. Tech workers argue the sector has invested more than $80 billion in Virginia and created thousands of jobs in just the past two years.

As for the denied substation, the Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative says it is evaluating next steps.