Governor Patrick Morrisey Unveils 20-Year Data Center Strategy

Governor Patrick Morrisey unveiled the West Virginia Responsible Data Center Development Plan, a 20-year strategy aimed at attracting hyperscale artificial intelligence and technology data centers to the state. The plan builds upon the 2025 Power Generation and Consumption Act and is structured around seven core pillars, including strategic state-managed planning, direct personal income tax cuts, and the establishment of a Data Center Advisory Council for community oversight.

To ensure infrastructure stability, the strategy mandates that developers fund their own power to protect ratepayers and utilize next-generation cooling to protect water resources. The administration asserts the plan will secure billions in investment and create high-paying jobs while boosting domestic computing capacity for national security.

However, the plan faces opposition from advocacy groups such as Energy Efficient West Virginia and Tucker United. Critics argue that existing legislation lacks transparency and fails to provide legally binding protections for residents. They point to a $2.5 billion power plant proposal by FirstEnergy as a primary example of how infrastructure costs could be shifted from developers to local ratepayers.