Culpeper County, Virginia, faces a conflict between its rural identity and the rapid expansion of large data centers intended for generative AI technology. While local residents appreciate the area’s charm and agricultural roots, the construction of seven data centers has raised concerns over electricity consumption that could overwhelm current infrastructure. With Virginia positioning itself as a hub for data centers, residents like Sarah Parmelee express worries about increased power demand and the implications for local energy resources. The growth poses challenges familiar to communities worldwide struggling with similar issues linked to technology and energy demands.
"We've got big farms, most still family-owned, and a lot of forests... It's very charming small-town USA," says Sarah Parmelee, one of the county's 55,000 residents.
"They're all saying, 'We'll buy power from the next district over.' But that district is planning to buy power from you," says Parmelee.
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