Appalachian Power and data centers

Large-load tariff and rules

Status

Large-load tariff or rules approved (2026-06-01)

Tariff

Schedule L.P.S. large load terms and conditions (Virginia)

Docket

Case No. PUR-2025-00057, Virginia State Corporation Commission

What it says

The SCC's final order approved large-load terms for new load of 100 MW at a site or 150 MW aggregated, including a 14-year initial contract with up to a four-year ramp, an 80% monthly billing demand, a minimum charge and collateral requirements, and found a separate rate class is not required at this time. (Virginia State Corporation Commission)

Source excerpt

“An initial service contract term for Large Load Customers of 14 years, inclusive of a load ramp period of up to four years, is appropriate and reasonable for Large Load Customer contracts,”

Official forecasts of data center load

• Appalachian Power told Virginia regulators it is in talks with 36 potential large-load customers whose combined demand would be about 25,000 MW, versus a recent system peak of about 7,200 MW (prospective, not all will proceed). (Cardinal News, 2026-07-31)
  Source excerpt

  “The electric utility recently told state regulators that it’s in talks with 36 potential large-load customers in Virginia whose combined power demand would total about 25,000 megawatts.”

What sources say about customer bills

Sources warning that other customers’ costs could rise

• Appalachian Power spokesperson (as reported by Cardinal News): Appalachian Power's spokesperson said that if large-load infrastructure investments are not fully recovered from those customers, they could add rate pressure for residential and other existing customers. (Cardinal News, 2026-07-31)
  Source excerpt

  “If those investments are not fully recovered from the customers driving the need for them, they could contribute to additional rate pressure for residential and other existing customers.”

Sources saying customers are protected, or bills are lower than they would be

• Cardinal News reporting: Cardinal News reports that large customers bring revenue that helps cover transmission and other service costs, though the article also notes risks if a large customer later leaves. (Cardinal News, 2026-07-31)
  Source excerpt

  “Once large customers join the grid, they bring with them large amounts of revenue to help cover transmission and other electric service costs.”

• Dana Wiggins, Virginia Poverty Law Center: A Virginia Poverty Law Center advocate said new large-load customers could spread costs across a larger customer base. (Cardinal News, 2026-07-31)
  Source excerpt

  “It could certainly spread the load across so that it’s not all being borne by a smaller group of customers,”

These are statements by regulators, utilities, advocates and researchers about this utility or its region. They are not a prediction of any customer’s bill, which depends on rates, usage and regulator decisions.

More

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