Data Center Census Near me

Balico data center campus and gas plant

Chatham, Pittsylvania County, VADeveloper: Balico

Also known as Balico Pittsylvania

DeniedBoard of Supervisors denied rezoning 6-1 on 2025-04-15 after refusing the developer's request to withdraw; reapplication barred for one year
  1. Rumored
  2. Proposed
  3. Approved
  4. Under construction
  5. Operating

Herndon-based Balico proposed a data center campus paired with a 3,500 MW natural gas power plant in the Chalk Level area near Chatham, Pittsylvania County. The original 2,200-acre plan was withdrawn in November 2024 and resubmitted at about 750 acres with 12 data center buildings. The Planning Commission unanimously recommended denial in January 2025, and the Board of Supervisors denied the rezoning 6-1 in April 2025.

Key facts

Size & schedule

Phase 1 capacity300 MW [3]
initial phase in revised November 2024 plan
Site size750 acres [1]
revised rezoning request; original proposal about 2,200 acres
Buildings12 [1]
two-story spec buildings of 396,000 sq ft each in revised plan; original plan described 84 buildings
Stated investment$8.85 billion [1]
data center campus; separately $360 million for mobile turbines
Permanent jobs (promised)390 [1]
150 at power station and 240 at data centers, per developer

How big is that? Data center sizes compared with football fields and Central Park.

Power

Power supplyOn-site 3,500 MW natural gas power plant owned/operated by Balico, supplied via Mountain Valley Pipeline [1]

Water

Water use2,000,000 gal/day [1]
per Virginia Business; WVTF reported at least 6 million gallons daily

Local decisions & site

Deciding votePittsylvania County Board of Supervisors denied rezoning Case R-25-001, 6-1, on April 15, 2025 (Supervisor Timothy W. Dudley voted no) [7]
Source excerpt
“Motion to deny Balico, LLC's rezoning application based upon the proposed layout of the project, the height and profile of the structures of the proposed project, the expected emissions, the limited benefit of jobs for the County, and the lack of clarity in the proffers and plans presented. RESULT: 6-1 (Deny)”
ZoningRequested rezoning from R-1 (Residential Suburban Subdivision) and A-1 (Agricultural) to M-2 (Heavy Industry) for a natural gas power plant and data centers; denied [7]
Source excerpt
“The applicant is requesting to rezone fourteen (14) parcels, totaling 763.16 acres, from R-1, Residential Suburban Subdivision District, and A-1, Agricultural District, to M-2, Industrial District, Heavy Industry, to allow for a Private Utility (Natural Gas Power Plant) and Data Centers.”
Parcel / addressCase R-25-001: fourteen parcels, GPIN #s 2426-88-4949, 2426-98-9726, 2426-38-9947, 2426-56-2605, 2426-56-8488, 2426-58-2580, 2426-68-2591, 2427-50-0255, 2436-38-3349, 2436-18-9886, 2436-09-5712, 2436-67-3437, 2426-69-3980, 2436-75-1295 (Banister Election District) [7]
minutes give 763.16 acres for the revised request
Source excerpt
“in the Banister Election District and shown on the Tax Maps as GPIN #s 2426-88-4949, 2426-98-9726, 2426-38-9947, 2426-56-2605, 2426-56-8488, 2426-58-2580, 2426-68-2591, 2427-50-0255, 2436-38-3349, 2436-18-9886, 2436-09-5712, 2436-67-3437, 2426-69-3980, and 2436-75-1295.”

Figures are as stated by the cited source. Where sources disagree, each figure is shown.

Water and power

Water

Not disclosed. No source reviewed gives a water figure for this site. The Census does not estimate one.

Power

Phase 1 capacity300 MW [3]
Power supplyOn-site 3,500 MW natural gas power plant owned/operated by Balico, supplied via Mountain Valley Pipeline [1]

Disclosed figures only, each as the cited source states it. Many are projections or permit limits, not metered use. How data center water and power use is measured, and every disclosed figure →

Community concerns

Concerns are listed as the cited public sources report them (meeting minutes, dockets, filed cases, official statements and news). They are raised, not validated, and a response is shown beside a concern only where a source reports one. All community concerns →

Air emissions and generators

  • An environmental coalition cited a health report projecting fine particulate emissions from the proposed gas plant.
    Raised by: organization (Virginia Conservation Network) · May 1, 2025 · Source: Virginia Conservation Network

Transparency and NDAs

  • The Planning Commission recommended denial citing a lack of transparency, and Chatham's mayor said Balico had not consulted town staff about using its water.
    Raised by: elected official (Pittsylvania County Planning Commission) · Jan 7, 2025 · Source: Virginia Business

Something missing or wrong? Ask for a review. Posts on social media are never used as sources.

Timeline

  1. Balico files original rezoning application [5]

  2. Original 2,200-acre application withdrawn; scaled-back plan to be resubmitted [3]

  3. Planning Commission unanimously recommends denial after five-hour hearing [1]

  4. Balico announces it is withdrawing its application and exploring a residential subdivision instead [2]

  5. Board chairman denies withdrawal request; Board of Supervisors votes 6-1 to deny rezoning [4]

Issues raised

  • Residents raised concerns about noise, traffic, and loss of rural character [1]
  • A Harvard/SELC health report projected at least 326.53 tons of PM2.5 emissions per year from the plant [2][5]
  • Chatham's mayor said town officials were not consulted beforehand; the Planning Commission cited a lack of transparency [1]
  • Balico said the project could generate up to $120 million a year in tax revenue; supervisors cited limited benefit [4]

Issues are concerns and claims raised by the parties, officials or residents named in the cited sources. They are reported as attributed, not as findings by the Census.

Sources

  1. Proposed $8.8B+ Pittsylvania data center campus hits roadblock
    Virginia Business · Jan 8, 2025 · news
  2. Balico withdraws application to build data centers in Pittsylvania County
    WVTF / Radio IQ · Apr 14, 2025 · news
  3. Revised gas-powered 300MW data center campus in the works for Pittsylvania County, Virginia
    Data Center Dynamics · Nov 12, 2024 · news
  4. Pittsylvania rejects data center project that has dominated county conversation for 6 months
    Cardinal News · Apr 16, 2025 · news
  5. Data Center and Gas Plant DENIED in Pittsylvania County
    Virginia Conservation Network · May 1, 2025 · other
  6. Pittsylvania County denies Balico's request to withdraw rezoning application
    WDBJ7 · Apr 15, 2025 · news
  7. Pittsylvania County Board of Supervisors' Business Meeting, April 15, 2025 (minutes)
    Pittsylvania County · Apr 15, 2025 · government

Cite this page

Last updated Sep 23, 2026. Figures may change as records are updated — include the date you retrieved them.

APAData Center Census. (2026). Balico data center campus and gas plant. Retrieved from https://datacentercensus.com/dc/balico-pittsylvania-county-va
MLA“Balico data center campus and gas plant.” Data Center Census, Sep 23, 2026, https://datacentercensus.com/dc/balico-pittsylvania-county-va.
Linkhttps://datacentercensus.com/dc/balico-pittsylvania-county-va

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