RICHMOND, Va.—The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) invoked the Federal Power Act on Monday, authorizing data centers within PJM Interconnection’s regional grid, including those in Virginia, to use generators at PJM’s discretion through January 31. This decision follows PJM’s projections of record electricity and heat demands amid freezing temperatures.
This authorization permits Virginia’s data centers, which house more server farms than anywhere else globally, to operate diesel backup generators in emergency situations during the aftermath of Winter Storm Fern through January 31. State environmental regulators may not be notified of generator activations, according to state officials.
Currently, Virginia data centers can operate Tier II generators with pollution controls, and cleaner Tier IV generators outside emergencies for extended periods without exceeding air quality limits. Tier II generators lacking controls are limited to emergency use, capped at 500 hours.
“As Secretary Wright outlined in a letter to grid operators, DOE has identified over 35 gigawatts of backup power at data centers and industrial sites for emergency grid stabilization and cost savings,” said Alex Fitzsimmons, acting under secretary of energy, in a statement. “Following requests from grid operators in the Mid-Atlantic, Texas, and the Carolinas, DOE issued orders enabling these regions to deploy backup power amidst Winter Storm Fern.”
Environmental groups worry that the federal allowance for diesel generators as primary power sources at data centers may increase air pollution. Some data centers and their generators are located near residential areas in Northern Virginia.
“It’s concerning for Northern Virginia to have diesel generators operating as primary power sources,” said Ann Bennett, data center chair for the Virginia Chapter of the Sierra Club. “It’s a troubling prospect.”
Virginia, known as the world’s data center capital, hosts 568 facilities, according to Data Center Map. These energy-intensive centers maintain diesel generators on standby for power outages, due to the constant electricity needs of internet and AI processing.
Virginia Commonwealth University Professor Damian Pitt found that as of June 2025, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality had issued 170 air permits for data center generators statewide, with 138 in Northern Virginia. There are about 10,000 generators associated with data center permits statewide, including 2,000 non-emergency units.
These generators emit pollutants like nitrous oxide, with levels exceeding those from natural gas plants, according to Pitt. “Cumulative emissions in some neighborhoods near data center clusters can match or exceed those from major facilities like the Dominion Possum Point power station,” Pitt stated in an email.
Pitt’s research is particularly relevant following DOE’s announcement since data center generators only operate 4-7% of their permitted time. If used fully, emissions would significantly increase.
“Total allowed emissions under DEQ air permits are substantial, exceeding those of any regional natural gas plants for pollutants like carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides,” said Pitt.
The approval letter from Energy Secretary Chris Wright followed a request from PJM’s Michael Bryson. Details on implementation remain unclear.
“We are coordinating with DOE, data centers, and utilities on a process,” said PJM spokesperson Jeff Shields in an email. “This is a last resort to avert residential outages. Backup generators have not been requested for use, but it could be necessary to avoid outages.”
Requests for comments from Dominion Energy and the North American Electricity Reliability Corporation were not returned Wednesday.
The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality does not track generator activation under this authority, as data centers aren’t required to report such operations.
Del. John McAuliff’s bill aims to enhance oversight by requiring notification to DEQ and air monitoring. “If every diesel generator in Ashburn is on, you should know that,” McAuliff said. “Currently, there’s no notification.”
Original Story at insideclimatenews.org