Amazon Web Services (AWS) is aiming to develop a data center in each county between Northern Virginia and the city of Richmond.
In a recent permit application to the US Army Corps of Engineers regarding Amazon's Caroline County data center project, Amazon revealed that its goal is "[to build] a data center in each County between Northern Virginia and Richmond," noting that the Mattermeade project "fulfills requirements of a data center within the area of Spotsylvania and Caroline Counties."
Amazon has long held a significant presence in Virginia, and in 2023 committed to investing $35 billion in expanding its footprint in the state.
Northern Virginia is home to six states and six Independent Cities: Fairfax, Arlington, Loudoun, Prince William, Spotsylvania, and Stafford counties, and Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Fredericksburg, Manassas, and Manassas Park.
Of those six counties in Northern Virginia, the company has data centers in Loudoun and Fairfax Counties as well as Prince William County, and has filed to develop in Spotsylvania, Stafford, though does not yet seem to have any projects in progress in Arlington.
The company has been seen making moves in Louisa, Fauquier, Culpeper, King George, Spotsylvania, Orange, and Caroline Counties. Projects are in various stages of development, with some having faced stiff opposition from local residents and officials.
Amazon previously had plans for a data center in Frederick County, but pulled out in early 2022.
With Amazon’s plan for Virginia seemingly extending down to Richmond, this adds numerous other counties into the mix, including Warren County, Clarke County, Rappahannock County, Madison County, Richmond County, King and Queen County, Hanover County, Goochland County, Fluvanna County, Greene County, and Albemarle County, among others - depending how wide you cast the net.
DCD has contacted Amazon for comment about which other counties their expansion plans encompass.
