LS Power Proposes Major Behind-the-Meter Data Center Campus Near Richmond
March 13, 2026
The convergence of data center demand and energy infrastructure is taking a significant step forward in Virginia, as power generation developer LS Power moves to directly supply a massive new computing campus. This behind-the-meter proposal highlights the industry's growing pursuit of dedicated, reliable power sources to support rapid expansion, often bypassing traditional utility grids for greater control and potential cost efficiency.
According to plans filed in Hanover County, LS Power is proposing a 205-acre data center campus at 10165 Old Ridge Road, located north of Richmond near the Doswell Energy Center. The site, situated south of the King’s Dominion amusement park and off Interstate 95, is slated for four data center buildings. A key feature of the development is a planned behind-the-meter connection to the adjacent natural gas generation assets, alongside on-site solar installations. The proposal includes a GE Vernova LM6000 gas turbine, though the final energy mix and the campus's degree of reliance on natural gas remain to be fully detailed.
The scale of power involved is substantial. Last year, LS Power filed with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to sell approximately 300 megawatts (MW) of power from two gas-fired units at its 1.19-gigawatt (GW) Doswell plant to a planned behind-the-meter data center, which aligns with this new campus proposal. LS Power, founded in 1990, is a major player in U.S. energy infrastructure, claiming to have developed or acquired over 50 GW of generation capacity across solar, wind, hydro, battery storage, and natural gas. Its recent activities include selling a 13 GW portfolio of natural gas facilities—which included the Doswell site—to NRG Energy and acquiring BP’s U.S. onshore wind business.
This project underscores a strategic shift where energy developers are not just suppliers but active facilitators of data center growth. By colocating critical infrastructure with dedicated power generation, developers can offer hyperscale operators and other large users a compelling solution to grid constraints and lengthy interconnection queues. The move could set a precedent for similar hybrid energy-data center developments, particularly in regions like Virginia that are experiencing both immense data center growth and increasing scrutiny over their energy consumption and environmental impact.
Source: datacenterdynamics
