Data Center Hub

Loudoun County Data Centers

CRITICAL RISK ZONING CHANGED

The world's largest concentration of data centers faces unprecedented community backlash. By-right development eliminated in March 2025. Every new project now requires special exception approval with public hearings.

9.3

Risk Score

CRITICAL

199

Data Centers Operating

117

Projects in Pipeline

70%+

Global Internet Traffic

Location

Loudoun County, VA

Developers

Multiple (117 pipeline)

Capacity

Multi-GW total

Status

New Restrictions

Risk Signal Breakdown

🚫

Zoning Eliminated

By-right development eliminated March 2025; now requires special exception with public hearings

+2.5
🏛️

Elected Official Opposition (×3)

Board of Supervisors adopted new restrictions; anti-DC candidates won Nov 2025 elections

+4.5
👥

Opposition Groups (×2)

Multiple community groups; grassroots organizing drove political change

+2.0
🔒

Prior Project Blocked

$64M Leesburg data center project denied power by planning commission (June 2025)

+2.0
📰

Negative Media Coverage

25+ articles in 30 days (Virginia Business, American Prospect, regional coverage)

+0.42

Raw Score: 11.42 → Normalized: 9.3/10

Timeline

September 2024

Kimley-Horn report reveals 199 data centers operating, 117 in pipeline

November 2025

MAJOR: Anti-data center candidates win local elections

February 2025

Board of Supervisors advances changes to data center regulations

March 2025

MAJOR: By-right development ELIMINATED; special exception now required

June 2025

Planning commission denies $64M Leesburg substation for data center

Sources

Loudoun County Eliminates By-Right Data Center Development Holland & Knight, Apr 2025
Loudoun County advances changes to data center regulations Virginia Business, Feb 2025
Demands for Data Center Moratoriums Surge American Prospect, Dec 2025
Data Centers in Loudoun County (Official) Loudoun County Government

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