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Last Update: 10/27/2026 at 5:34 AM EST
West Virginia Data Centers
Coverage from WV Rivers Coalition, POWER Magazine, and others
West Virginia’s data-center development includes projects such as the Monarch Compute Campus in Mason County and Fundamental Data’s proposed Ridgeline Facility in Tucker County.
Their planning has raised questions about state certification, local zoning and noise controls, public participation, environmental review, and the effects of construction on nearby residents. House Bill 2014 sets rules affecting data-center microgrids, local authority, and tax revenue, while statewide planning proposals address power, water use, and infrastructure costs. Together, these issues show how project growth intersects with community governance and the distribution of costs and benefits.
Looking Back
141 Day Timeline
May 9
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All Articles56 articles
Important
West Virginia lawmakers limited local data-center oversight in 2025 as the Monarch Compute Campus in Mason County faced stormwater violations and a wetland permit challenge.
9/17/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
West Virginia's Division of Air Quality confirmed Fundamental Data's site control for the Ridgeline Facility near Thomas on August 13, 2026, while broader project challenges continue.
8/18/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
West Virginia HB 2014 was outlined as adding Department of Commerce certification, Department of Environmental Protection permitting, and ratepayer protections for large data centers.
7/11/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
West Virginia leaders approved and promoted data center projects in Mason, Tucker, and Putnam counties despite public opposition and concerns about pollution, water, power demand, and health.
9/4/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
West Virginia officials are advancing major data center projects near Point Pleasant and in Tucker County under a 2025 law that limits local zoning authority, prompting resident opposition.
8/3/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey unveiled a 20-year data center plan in August as counties and residents challenged state control over projects in Mason and Tucker counties.
9/13/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Wheeling and Silicon Foundry Energy agreed in Wheeling, West Virginia, to prohibit a high-impact data center at the former Centre Foundry property in Warwood.
9/12/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Fundamental Data and West Virginia agencies disputed property control and permitting standards for a conceptual Tucker County data center after Commerce reversed a disclosure demand on July 1.
7/23/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Tucker County residents and environmental advocates ask West Virginia DEP to investigate Fundamental Data land-control claims after Commerce records conflict with permit-application ownership statements.
7/20/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
West Virginia Commerce challenged Fundamental Data LLC on June 18 for missing High Impact data center certification deadlines tied to a 5.2-gigawatt Ridgeline-linked project in Tucker and Grant counties.
6/30/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
West Virginia Department of Commerce told Fundamental Data LLC it missed a deadline for High Impact Data Center certification for the Ridgeline microgrid and data center after a May 18 meeting.
6/19/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
West Virginia officials and Nscale are advancing the Monarch Compute Campus in Mason County for late 2027 operations, while residents and environmental groups challenge its health, utility and permitting impacts.
9/12/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
West Virginia NAACP delegates adopted a resolution on August 14-15, 2026, in Huntington calling for a moratorium on high-impact data centers and microgrids.
9/6/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Gov. Patrick Morrisey approved Starwood Digital Ventures' Project Tamarack in West Columbia, West Virginia, prompting Mason County residents and officials to question land use, notification, and local authority.
9/4/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
West Virginia data-center developers are expanding projects statewide in 2025 while residents and environmental groups challenge flooding impacts, microgrids, tax incentives, and reduced local authority.
8/3/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Warwood residents sued in Ohio County Circuit Court on a Silicon Foundation data center proposal at the former Centre Foundry site in Wheeling, challenging House Bill 2014 and local zoning compliance.
7/23/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
West Virginia PSC scheduled a decision in March after final testimony on Mon Power's Morgantown-area gas plant, $2.4 billion cost, and $1.18 monthly surcharge request.
7/17/2026 • Power Procurement & Grid • General
Chris Beam asked the West Virginia PSC to approve Mon Power’s near-Morgantown $2.4 billion gas plant and an early surcharge to serve data centers by 2031.
7/16/2026 • Power Procurement & Grid • General
Tucker County residents protested a proposed hyperscale data center near Canaan Valley State Resort, citing West Virginia HB 2014 exemptions from local zoning and ordinances.
6/28/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Chris Morris said West Virginia received the first microgrid certification application tied to data center development during the week, as residents raised local concerns.
6/11/2026 • Power Procurement & Grid • General
Tucker United and the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy plan to refile challenges in West Virginia over Fundamental Data's Ridgeline air permit and redacted information after appellate dismissals.
8/31/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
The West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection confirmed this week that Fundamental Data controlled the 291-acre Tucker County site for the proposed Ridgeline Facility.
8/17/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
West Virginia lawmakers advanced HB 2014 to certify high-impact data centers within 14 days, while Tucker and Putnam County residents criticized secrecy and reduced local control.
6/9/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Interesting
Wheeling residents and community groups held a Tuesday hearing in Wheeling, West Virginia, opposing Silicon Foundation's planned Warwood GPU data center over power, water, noise, and regulatory concerns.
8/26/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Fundamental Data LLC is proposing the Ridgeline data center campus near Davis and Thomas, West Virginia, with gas turbines, massive diesel storage, and operations targeted for 2028.
8/25/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
On July 31, West Virginia Attorney General J.B. McCuskey moved to defend HB 2014 in an Ohio County lawsuit challenging Silicon Foundation's proposed Warwood data center in Wheeling.
8/20/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
West Virginia Sen. Joey Garcia reconsidered support for a 2025 data center preemption bill after Susan Perry raised Logan and Mingo County concerns during a Gilbert listening tour stop.
6/6/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
In West Virginia, critics are urging lawmakers to end data center tax incentives and require local approval and impact reporting as proposed development reaches up to $96 billion.
9/21/2026 • Project Finance & Incentives • General
West Virginia officials released a 20-year data center development plan in Charleston on Aug. 7, proposing state oversight, developer-funded infrastructure, and protections for ratepayers and communities.
8/12/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Anthropic agreed in 2025 to spend $45 billion on 460 megawatts of computing capacity at Nscale's Monarch Compute Campus near Point Pleasant, West Virginia.
8/28/2026 • Market Demand & Investment • General
Penzance and West Virginia officials discussed Bedington Data Center development in Berkeley County, focusing on 600 megawatts power access, reclaimed-water sourcing, and permitting oversight.
5/16/2026 • Market Demand & Investment • General
West Virginia NAACP chapters recently sought a statewide moratorium on new data center construction, citing utility costs, water demand, and community impacts.
9/6/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Wheeling data-center opponents are challenging the proposed Warwood AI facility ahead of an August 25 public hearing over power, water, noise, and local-benefit concerns.
8/23/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Fundamental Data LLC's proposed Ridgeline data center complex is facing organized resident opposition in Tucker County, West Virginia, over environmental impacts, local authority, and inconsistent project disclosures.
8/12/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Wheeling City Council heard residents oppose Silicon Foundation's Warwood GPU data center redevelopment at a brownfield site, and requested a moratorium after noise baseline measurement demands.
7/22/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Wheeling, West Virginia residents protested July 18 redevelopment plans for the Warwood Centre Foundry site, proposing a technology park with a data center.
7/18/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Phil Kabler says West Virginia lawmakers and Gov. Patrick Morrisey pushed data-center siting rules despite near-unanimous public opposition to water-impact assessment and local control limits.
6/14/2026 • Community & Local Opposition • General
Earlier this month, West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey introduced a 20-year hyperscale data center framework in West Virginia to fund infrastructure, address water concerns, and manage local opposition.
8/17/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey unveiled a statewide data center framework this week to centralize approvals and distribute tax revenue while addressing local infrastructure, electricity, water, and community concerns.
8/14/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
West Virginia officials announced a statewide hyperscale data center strategy in Berkeley County requiring developer-funded power infrastructure, water safeguards, and local revenue sharing.
8/12/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
West Virginia lawmakers met in Tucker County to debate two transmission line proposals and amendments to HB 2014 governing data center and microgrid districts.
6/20/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Penzance and West Virginia officials meet in Martinsburg to review the proposed $4 billion Bedington Data Center campus plans for power, reclaimed water, and local approvals.
5/18/2026 • Infrastructure & Site Development • General
West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey certified Starwood Digital Ventures' Project Tamarack and Nscale's Monarch Compute Campus in Mason County, adding major power demand and investment to the state's data-center buildout.
9/3/2026 • Permitting & Regulation • General
Additional
During West Virginia's District 2 campaign, Ace Parsi proposed a two-year moratorium on large data centers, adding study and local referendum provisions.
9/26/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey unveiled a 20-year data-center development plan in Charleston in 2025 requiring infrastructure funding, utility reviews and community protections.
8/11/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
Chris Morris said West Virginia received the first microgrid certification application tied to data center development, while Fundamental Data had not filed an application for a Tucker County complex.
6/14/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
West Virginia state offices are promoting data center development and estimating county tax revenue from 1 GW facilities using 2025 levy data statewide.
9/3/2026 • Project Finance & Incentives • General
Jake Skorheim and Spike O'Neill debated Washington data-center tax policy during a KIRO Newsradio broadcast, comparing proposals in Washington, Virginia, and West Virginia.
8/23/2026 • Policy & Utility Planning • General
West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey proposed allocating hyperscale data center project revenue to tax reductions, local services, infrastructure, and grid planning across West Virginia.
8/30/2026 • Project Finance & Incentives • General
West Virginia officials certified the Nscale Monarch Campus and Starwood Digital Ventures' Project Tamarack at a state Chamber of Commerce summit in Mason County.
9/8/2026 • Infrastructure & Site Development • General
Belmont County commissioners and West Virginia officials discussed EnergiAcres' The Real Stargate Ohio and clarified a Warwood modular manufacturing plan after earlier data center speculation.
6/30/2026 • Market Demand & Investment • General
Silicon Foundation Energy LLC plans a phased GPU data center campus in Wheeling, West Virginia, scaling from 10 MW to 100 MW after a spring property acquisition.
6/22/2026 • Infrastructure & Site Development • General
Hog Lick Aggregates studies a White Hall, West Virginia quarry data center using mine-water geothermal cooling and estimating at least 1 gigawatt power demand without a construction timetable.
5/9/2026 • Infrastructure & Site Development • General
Starwood Digital Ventures announced Project Tamarack at a West Virginia business summit, advancing a certified $12 billion data center planned for Mason County.
9/3/2026 • Infrastructure & Site Development • General
Starwood Digital Ventures announced plans for a $12 billion Project Tamarack data center in West Columbia, West Virginia, during the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce's annual summit.
9/3/2026 • Infrastructure & Site Development • General
Starwood Digital Ventures announced plans in West Columbia, West Virginia, to develop the $12 billion Project Tamarack data center using existing Appalachian Power infrastructure.
9/3/2026 • Infrastructure & Site Development • General