King George County Considers Massive Data Center Proposal
Birchwood Power Partners, the former owners of the iconic Birchwood Power Plant in Fredericksburg, Virginia, are seeking approval from King George County to build the largest data center complex in the United States. The proposal includes 19 facilities totaling about 7.5 million square feet of data center space on the former power plant property and other parcels along State Route 3.
According to Charlie Payne, the lawyer representing the partners, the project has the potential to generate millions of dollars in revenue for the county. The anticipated county tax revenue from 1 million square feet of data center space is estimated to be $16-18 million annually. With plans to develop 7.25 million square feet of data center space, the financial impact on the community could be significant.
Data centers, which are server farms used for cloud computing, have been on the rise in recent years, particularly in Northern Virginia. Various counties in the region have faced opposition to data center development, but King George County is now at the center of a major proposal that could transform the area.
Before any construction can begin, the project must go through the county Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors for approval. Planners recently spent over 4 1/2 hours debating the proposal and ultimately deferred action until their next meeting in August. This was the third time in a year that the Planning Commission reviewed a proposal from Birchwood Power Partners.
Vice-Chairman Kristofer Parker and other planners expressed the need for more details on the project, especially regarding the location of buildings beyond the first phase of development. The proposal involves amending the county’s Comprehensive Plan and rezoning several parcels from agricultural to industrial, prompting concerns about the long-term impact on the community.
The consultant hired by King George County to review the application, Alan Steinbeck, recommended approving the project and necessary rezoning, stating that all required information had been provided. However, some planners argued that more details were needed before a decision could be made.
Despite the debate among planners, Chairman Walter Moss pushed for a motion and a vote, but ultimately the majority voted to defer the matter for further consideration. The decision to defer reflects the significance of the proposal and the need for careful planning to ensure the county is prepared for the growth and industry that data centers bring.
The potential development of the Birchwood Power Plant property into a massive data center complex could have far-reaching implications for King George County and the surrounding region. As the project moves forward, stakeholders will continue to weigh the economic benefits against the concerns about the impact on the community. Stay tuned for updates on this major development in King George County.
Cathy Dyson
Email: cdyson@freelancestar.com