Virginia — Virginia FY2026-2028 Biennial Budget: Data Center Electricity Tax, Water Cooling and Noise Provisions
Virginia · Virginia FY2026-2028 Biennial Budget: Data Center Electricity Tax, Water Cooling and Noise Provisions
Virginia's new two-year budget imposes a first-of-its-kind $0.011/kWh tax on data center electricity consumption effective July 1, 2026, and directs regulators to establish water-cooling scarcity rules and first-ever noise standards for data centers.
Technical detail
Virginia's new two-year budget imposes a first-of-its-kind $0.011/kWh tax on data center electricity consumption effective July 1, 2026, and directs regulators to establish water-cooling scarcity rules and first-ever noise standards for data centers.
Who is protected: People subject to the measure.
Who must comply: Virginia
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Virginia |
|---|---|
| Level | State |
| Status | Enacted (not yet in effect) |
| Protection strength | Limited protection |
| Enacted | 2026-06-30 |
| Citation | Virginia FY2026-2028 Biennial Budget: Data Center Electricity Tax, Water Cooling and Noise Provisions |
| Topics | data-center siting and energy · consumer protection · government use of AI |
| Last verified | 2026-07-01 |
| Official source | Virginia has a new two-year budget. Here's what lawmakers now require of data centers. - Virginia Mercury ↗ |
More AI rules in Virginia
- Virginia § 15.2-1723.2 (facial recognition by local law enforcement, eff. July 1, 2026) · In effect
- Virginia IVO AI Safety Study (SB 384/HB 797, 2026) · In effect
- VA Data Center Siting Bill (Vetoed) · Vetoed
- VA Data Center Tax Exemption · In effect
- VA Data Center Cost-Allocation Law · In effect
- VA warrantless drone ban · In effect
Related data-center siting and energy rules elsewhere
- Superior WI Data Center Moratorium (1-year) · In effect
- Dane County WI Hyperscale Data Center Moratorium · In effect
- Madison WI Data Center Moratorium (1-year) · In effect
- Manitowoc County WI Data Center Moratorium · In effect
- WA SB 5982 (Data Center / Clean Energy) · In effect
- Dayton OH data center moratorium (180-day, Apr 2026) · In effect
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