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Virginia data centers/Analysis

Dataset analysis

What 198 Virginia
air permits show

The official state index is geographically concentrated, weighted toward recent years and dominated by Minor New Source Review records. Here is the reproducible count—and what it cannot prove.

77.8%in top three localities
66.7%dated 2022–2026
96.0%Minor NSR records
Download analyzed CSV ↓

FINDING 01

Three localities hold most records

Loudoun County, Fairfax County and Prince William County account for 154 of 198 issued-permit rows in the current state index—77.8% of the collection.

This is a concentration of indexed permit records, not a direct measure of data-center capacity, generator count, emissions, tax revenue or community impact.

LOCALITY COUNTS

Where the records
are listed

County links open enriched geographic views where the record cluster is large enough to support one.

01Loudoun County91
02Fairfax County35
03Prince William County28
04Mecklenburg County11
05Henrico County8
06Manassas City4
07Fauquier County4
08Culpeper County3
09Chesterfield County2
10Spotsylvania County2
11Stafford County2
12Russell County1
13Wise County1
14Hanover County1
15Virginia Beach City1
16Louisa County1
17Caroline County1
18Frederick County1
19Harrisonburg City1

FINDING 02

Recent issue years carry more rows

The five selected annual views, 2022 through 2026, contain 132 issued records, or 66.7% of the state list. The source still reaches back to 2000, so this is not a five-year-only database.

An issue-year increase can reflect development, amendments, administrative practice or source coverage. The index alone cannot distinguish those explanations.

RECENT YEARS

Compare annual
permit views

Every annual page preserves facility names, dates, program labels and direct source links.

Issue year

2026

36 issued records in the current source.

Open year view →Issue year

2025

36 issued records in the current source.

Open year view →Issue year

2024

30 issued records in the current source.

Open year view →Issue year

2023

17 issued records in the current source.

Open year view →Issue year

2022

13 issued records in the current source.

Open year view →

FINDING 03

Named operators form research clusters

Amazon-related names form the largest documented operator cluster in our matching model, followed by Microsoft and Equinix names. The grouping is designed for discovery across disclosed name variants.

It is not a legal-entity or beneficial-ownership analysis. Original facility names remain visible and the matching rule is explained on each operator page.

OPERATOR GROUPS

Largest named
record clusters

Only groups with at least three source rows receive dedicated pages; all other names remain available in search.

01Amazon Data Services53
02Microsoft15
03Equinix9
04Digital Realty7
05QTS7
06CyrusOne6
07Vantage Data Centers5
08STACK Infrastructure4
09Northrop Grumman4
10NTT Global Data Centers3

METHOD AND LIMITS

How the analysis was made

Counts use the 198-row Virginia DEQ issued data-center air-permit table dated July 13, 2026. Locality, date, permit number and program type are normalized only for consistent display. Operator pages use disclosed name-pattern groupings; no fuzzy or undisclosed ownership matching is applied.

A permit establishes a regulatory document and its stated conditions. It does not by itself establish actual emissions, generator operation, a violation, pollution exposure or harm.