WILLIAMSBURG — As data centers continue to expand across Virginia and strain the state’s electric grid, local governments are moving quickly to tighten oversight.

Virginia leads the country in data center development. Gov. Glenn Youngkin has been a strong supporter of the industry, often touting Virginia as the data center capital of the world, and the outgoing governor said the commonwealth will continue to encourage the development of data centers across multiple regions.

What are Data Centers?

Data centers are large, warehouse-style buildings packed with servers that power cloud storage, streaming services, artificial intelligence and online communication. They have become a major economic driver in Virginia. A recent report from the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission foun

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