Chesterfield Residents Press for Google Data Center Transparency

TL;DR: Chesterfield County residents are pressing Google and county officials for greater transparency on three planned data center projects totaling 1,500 acres and $9 billion investment, citing concerns about water and energy use and a 2018 non-disclosure agreement that kept Google's identity secret until August 2025.

The story

Google is developing three data center campuses across 1,500 acres in Chesterfield County as part of a reported $9 billion investment in Virginia's artificial intelligence infrastructure. The three projects are code-named Project Peanut (300 acres at 2700 Bermuda Hundred Road near Meadowville Technology Park), Project Loch (334 acres at Watkins Centre Parkway), and Project Skye (887.7 acres in the Moseley area south of Genito Road). Google has stated it is currently focused on developing Project Peanut, with construction underway on three data center buildings totaling nearly 856,000 square feet, while permits for Projects Loch and Skye remain pending.

The transparency dispute centers on a 2018 non-disclosure agreement signed between Chesterfield's Economic Development Authority and Google's parent company, Alphabet Inc. Google's ownership of the property was not publicly revealed until August 2025, despite the company having purchased and held land years earlier. Residents say the long secrecy prevented community input during the early planning stages and has now created an accountability gap as the projects advance.

At a July 22, 2026 Board of Supervisors meeting, members of Data Center Defiance Central Virginia delivered a petition signed by over 2,500 residents calling on Chesterfield County to stop signing NDAs for data center projects. The group organized a sit-in demonstration outside the meeting and has demanded total transparency, an end to non-disclosure agreements, and no more secret deals. They seek early notification to the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors about future data center proposals rather than learning about projects years after agreements have been made.

Google has defended NDAs as standard practice for large development projects, stating that such agreements allow transparent conversations between the company and county officials on business-critical matters. However, residents who attended Google's recent open houses and public hearings expressed frustration that their questions about water and energy usage were not adequately answered. Community members have noted that the company has not publicly disclosed how much water the facilities will consume or how many jobs they will provide, raising concerns that the cost of infrastructure demands will fall on residents while the financial benefits remain opaque.

The county is the water provider through its Department of Utilities, which sources water from the City of Richmond and the Appomattox River Water Authority. Google is working with Dominion Energy to secure high-voltage power through their interconnection queue process. These infrastructure demands have fueled residents' concerns that the data centers will place substantial strain on local resources without adequate public disclosure of the impact.

Key players

• Google (Alphabet Inc.): Developer of three planned data center campuses
• Data Center Defiance Central Virginia: Advocacy group organizing residents and demanding transparency
• Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors: County government body receiving residents' petitions and hearing concerns
• Chesterfield County Economic Development Authority: Signed the 2018 non-disclosure agreement with Google

Key dates

• 2018: Non-disclosure agreement signed between Chesterfield Economic Development Authority and Alphabet Inc.
• August 2025: Google's ownership of Chesterfield property parcels publicly revealed
• July 16, 2026: Google hosted open houses to answer resident questions about three data center projects
• July 22, 2026: Data Center Defiance Central Virginia delivered 2,500-signature petition to Board of Supervisors meeting

Why it matters: The outcome will determine whether Chesterfield residents and their elected officials will have meaningful say in future major development projects or whether large tech companies can continue negotiating with minimal public disclosure. The projects' demands on water and electrical infrastructure could affect resource availability and costs for all county residents, making transparency crucial for proper planning and accountability.

Places

• Bermuda Hundred Road
• Meadowville Technology Park
• Watkins Centre Parkway
• Genito Road
• Moseley
• Duval Road

Related links

• Chesterfield County Data Centers
• Chesterfield County Board of Supervisors
• VPM News: Chesterfield residents call for more transparency on Google data centers

Read the original at r/ChesterfieldVA →

Sources

• VPM News: Chesterfield residents call for more transparency on Google data centers
• Google announces Chesterfield data center as part of $9B investment
• Chesterfield scores a Google trifecta: Tech giant reveals ties to 3 massive sites across the county
• Google data center open house draws hundreds in Chesterfield County
• Chesterfield neighbors to question Google about planned data centers
• Google files site plan for data center, moves forward with 'Project Peanut' in Chesterfield
• Data center opponents demand more transparency during rally at Capitol Square
• 11-year-old stands before Chesterfield Board of Supervisors, speaks out on data centers
• Chesterfield County Data Centers