Google announces Chesterfield data center as part of $9B investment

Google plans to invest an additional $9 billion in Virginia through the end of 2026, with much of the funding going toward the development of a new data center in Chesterfield County, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Wednesday.

The investments will be focused on cloud and artificial intelligence infrastructure, the governor said. Google will also expand existing facilities in Loudoun and Prince William Counties and expand education and workforce development programs for Virginians.

Construction has already begun on the new data center. A Google spokesperson said the data center will be located at a 300-plus acre site at 2700 Bermuda Hundred Road near Meadowville Technology Park. While Google did not provide a specific timeline for how long the project would take, the spokesperson said data center projects typically take 18 to 24 months to complete.

The governor’s office says once the new Chesterfield County data center is complete, the facility will join the Loudoun County and Prince William County campuses as part of Google’s global network of data centers. Google is eligible for data center sales and use tax exemptions on qualifying computer equipment and enabling software.

“Google’s $9 billion investment in Virginia is a powerful endorsement of our commonwealth’s leadership in the AI economy,” Youngkin said in a statement. “As AI is increasingly part of every aspect of work, this project reinforces our commitment to preparing Virginians for the future. Investments like this not only expand Virginia’s cloud and AI infrastructure but also expand our efforts to build a future-ready workforce through initiatives like our AI Career Launch Pad. Virginia is the largest data center market in the world and remains a top-ranked hub for AI talent and innovation, where opportunity meets preparation.”

The governor announced that all Virginia-based college students now have free access to the Google AI Pro plan for 12 months and AI training and job search support. Additionally, the University of Virginia, Brightpoint Community College and Northern Virginia Community College are among the first cohort of universities that are part of the Google AI for Education Accelerator.

“With today’s announcement, Google is deepening our roots in Virginia [and] extending our investments across the state to help position Virginia — and America — for the opportunities technology can deliver,” Alphabet and Google President and Chief Investment Officer Ruth Porat said in a statement. “Google’s investments in technical infrastructure and AI skills development help to ensure that people across Virginia and across the United States have access to opportunity in this exciting era of American innovation.”

Google did not share details about the size and scope of the data center project, cost estimates for the data center, estimates on how many jobs the project would bring or details on what the expansions in Loudoun and Prince William Counties will entail.