EdgeCore's $17 Billion Investment in Virginia Data Center to Boost AI Infrastructure

EdgeCore To Plow $17B Into New Virginia Data Center

The Partners Group-backed data center firm won praise from Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin after it promised a massive data center investment that will more than double EdgeCore's power capacity in the state once the project is finished. Denver-based data center provider EdgeCore announced Wednesday that it plans to spend $17 billion to build a 1.1-gigawatt facility in Virginia. The 3.9 million-square-foot data center campus will be built on 697 acres of land in the Shannon Hill Regional Business Park area of Louisa County, the company stated in a press release. Once it comes online, it will be EdgeCore's third data center campus in the Old Dominion state. EdgeCore currently has about 500 megawatts of capacity under management in Virginia. "The investment in this land enables EdgeCore to expand our growth in Central Virgina, providing our hyperscale and AI focused customers with scalable, cost-efficient data center solutions, while simultaneously benefitting the residents of Louisa County with decades of tax revenue, job creation and ancillary investments," EdgeCore CEO Lee Kestler said in a statement. [RELATED: EdgeCore Digital Infrastructure Built For 'Exponential' Growth, New President Tells CRN] The project won praise from Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who said in a statement that the commonwealth is the "world capital" of the technology infrastructure that supports the global digital economy. "Virginia is the world capital for the infrastructure on which the internet and the entire global economy runs. From the spine of the internet running through Ashburn to the transatlantic cables that connect in Virginia Beach, the entire Commonwealth is engaged in supporting the technology which runs the world. We are proud to welcome EdgeCore to Central Virginia where their $17 billion investment will create jobs and fund vital public resources," said Youngkin. EdgeCore said once the new data center is complete, the facility will use the most efficient environmental standards when it comes to the water and air-cooled systems that are employed to cool the facility, striving to meet its benchmark water usage of less than .01 liters per hour. The newest EdgeCore news brings the company's total active market count to six, including Ashburn and Culpeper, Virginia; Silicon Valley; Greater Phoenix; and Reno, all of which have been designed to accommodate data centers for single hyperscale tenants. Backed by billions in private equity, EdgeCore has been on a growth streak. EdgeCore was acquired by private equity firm Partners Group in 2022 for $1.2 billion. The private equity firm invested an additional $1.9 billion into the company last year to fund expansions across its existing locations. Talking with CRN a week after he was named the company's first president, EdgeCore President Steve Conner called out the importance of power planning, sustainable energy mixes, the growing adoption of liquid cooling and the need for data centers to support AI. In addition to the project announced Wednesday, EdgeCore has projects underway in Phoenix and Reno, Nev., which will add hundreds of megawatts of capacity to its existing system, and has plans to double the number of employees. "Where we're focusing right now, and where you're going to see a lot of that growth, is on the operation side," Conner told CRN during the interview earlier this month. "We want to make sure that for our customers we give them a consistent service, whether we're in Phoenix or Ashburn, [Va.], or Reno, [Nev.] -- pick your place."

EdgeCore to Invest USD 17 Billion in Virginia Data Center Campus

Power provided by Rappahannock Electric Cooperative and Hyperscale Energy. EdgeCore Digital Infrastructure, a wholesale data center developer and operator, has announced the acquisition of 697 acres in the Shannon Hill Regional Business Park in Louisa County, Virginia. The company plans to develop a 3.9 million square foot, high-density data center campus capable of supporting more than 1.1 gigawatts of power. Also Read: EdgeCore Announces Expansion of Data Center Capacity in Mesa, Arizona to Over 450 MW The planned USD 17 billion investment in Central Virginia will significantly expand EdgeCore's national footprint. The campus is designed to serve hyperscale and AI-focused clients, offering scalable, cost-efficient digital infrastructure. "EdgeCore was deliberate and intentional in our decision to commit to Louisa County for the development of a 1.1+ GW high-density data center campus," said Lee Kestler, CEO, EdgeCore Digital Infrastructure. "The investment in this land enables EdgeCore to expand our growth in Central Virgina, providing our hyperscale and AI focused customers with scalable, cost-efficient data center solutions, while simultaneously benefitting the residents of Louisa County with decades of tax revenue, job creation and ancillary investments. I want to thank the Louisa County Industrial Development Authority and the Commonwealth's economic development team for their support." Governor Glenn Youngkin welcomed the announcement, emphasizing Virginia's global leadership in internet infrastructure. "From the spine of the internet running through Ashburn to the transatlantic cables that connect in Virginia Beach, the entire Commonwealth is engaged in supporting the technology which runs the world. We are proud to welcome EdgeCore to Central Virginia where their USD 17 billion investment will create jobs and fund vital public resources," he said. Also Read: EdgeCore Raises USD 1.9 Billion for Data Center Expansion Power for the campus will be supported by Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (REC) and its affiliate Hyperscale Energy. "We are honored they [EdgeCore] chose our service area for this major development," said REC CEO John Hewa. EdgeCore emphasized its commitment to responsible development, noting the use of a closed-loop air-cooled system at the campus. This system will keep water consumption minimal, achieving a water usage effectiveness (WUE) rating below 0.01 L/kWh. In an announcement on Wednesday, June 25, EdgeCore said it will also leverage best practices from its other data center markets -- including Greater Phoenix, Silicon Valley, Ashburn, Culpeper, and Reno -- to mitigate construction impact, minimize traffic, and maintain open dialogue with local communities. "In Louisa County, we intend to contribute as a good neighbor would by investing our time and resources to the betterment of the county at large," said William Jabjiniak, SVP of National Community and Government Relations. Also Read: EdgeCore Secures USD 1.9 Billion Financing for Mesa Data Center Campus According to the official release, the Louisa County project brings EdgeCore's total active market count to six, including Ashburn and Culpeper, VA; Silicon Valley; Greater Phoenix; and Reno -- all of which are designed to accommodate data centers for single hyperscale tenants.