Upzoned Why Data Center Electricity Use "Scares Me to the Bone"
Aug 20, 2025
Edward Erfert, Chief Technical Advisor at Strong Towns, dives into the high electricity demands of data centers and their impact on local economies. He reveals how these facilities can drive up utility costs for everyday consumers without bearing the brunt of the expenses. Zoning confusion arises as data centers defy traditional classifications, and the strain on infrastructure in rapidly growing areas becomes evident. Edward also discusses potential growth moratoriums and the urgent need for policy responses to manage this emerging crisis.
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Why Northern Virginia Attracts Data Centers
- Edward describes data centers clustering around Dulles because of existing electrical capacity.
- He compares them to 22nd-century self-storage: valuable, nearly empty of people, and plugged into massive power draws.
A New Land Use That Breaks Zoning Assumptions
- Data centers create a new land-use type that doesn't fit traditional zoning categories and consumes huge amounts of electricity and water.
- The scale of their utility demand exposes fragilities in systems planners typically assume will always be available.
How Utility Rules Socialize Data Center Costs
- Utility obligation rules require power companies to serve requests within infrastructure distance, effectively socializing costs.
- Large, rapid demand increases (gigawatts) force utilities to buy more expensive power and pass costs to all ratepayers.