Powering Virginia’s Future with a Full Mix of Energy
OP-Ed article from Richmond.com
By Sidney Harrison | March 10, 2026
We can’t grow Virginia’s $54 billion manufacturing sector without lowering energy costs across the commonwealth. If we want to remain globally competitive, increase wages for workers, and attract private capital investments, we must expand all energy resources that meet the unique needs of Virginia’s consumers.
As the Virginia General Assembly’s legislative session winds down this month, leaders must focus on energy policies that result in improved affordability, reliability and capacity. We simply do not generate enough power from current sources to sustain a globally competitive commonwealth that is the national epicenter of AI and defense.
Virginia’s economic potential is huge, but an energy affordability and capacity crisis threatens to slow it. With the 2026 session ending soon, lawmakers should restore full SCC authority over the Virginia Clean Economy Act to better balance energy demand, supply and costs so manufacturers can keep machines running and workers employed, writes Sidney Harrison.
Virginia’s electric grid is straining as data usage and economic growth are driving unprecedented energy consumption. The commonwealth is the second-largest power-importing state in the U.S. and hosts the largest data center market in the world [web.archive.org], made up of an estimated 663 [web.archive.org] facilities. The electricity demand from these data centers alone is expected to triple [web.archive.org] by 2050 as Virginia plans 595 new facilities in the years ahead. Asking today’s electric grid to produce more with less simply isn’t feasible. We need “baseload” energy resources that operate 24/7, are highly efficient, have low emissions, have minimal impact on land and wildlife, and are low-cost, like natural gas power plants. Building this energy foundation will help us meet electricity demands over the next 10 years and transition our economy into a clean energy future.
Diverse energy resources are popular across the commonwealth. A recent poll [web.archive.org]conducted by Natural Allies for a Clean Energy Future found that 75% of Virginia voters support a balanced energy approach that includes partnering natural gas with renewable energy. Our state’s manufacturers have seen the benefits of using a diverse energy mix. This approach allows them to implement sustainability initiatives while maintaining a dependable supply of energy, including natural gas.
A diverse mix of energy sources also keeps Virginia workers safe. In manufacturing and other industrial settings, sudden power outages or energy shortages can create dangerous conditions, disrupt safety systems, and make equipment restarts more hazardous. In fact, unplanned shutdowns and restarts are widely recognized as some of the highest-risk periods in industrial operations. By using a combination of energy sources, our company can count on reliable power generation and protect workers from hazardous situations.
Virginia manufacturers depend on reliable power. Rising energy costs and higher reliability risks will negatively impact energy-intensive manufacturers the most. They have to compete with peers in other states and nations that can access more competitively priced and reliable power.
High‑voltage lines power Loudoun County’s massive data center hub. Virginia’s grid is straining as the state — now the nation’s No. 2 power importer and home to 663 data centers — faces demand projected to triple by 2050 as 595 more facilities are planned, writes Sidney Harrison.
Additionally, if Virginia businesses in general have to pay astronomical prices just to keep essential equipment online, it means we’ll have fewer resources to invest in our workers, communities and technology to stay competitive. Manufacturing jobs are some of the best-paying positions in the U.S., and this sector is the foundation of communities across Virginia. If we want to keep what we’ve got and build on our strong foundation, legislators in Richmond must create more affordable and reliable energy options today — not in 20 years.
Virginia’s manufacturers continue to lead the charge on clean energy innovation. Across the commonwealth, manufacturers produce the components, materials and infrastructure that make wind, solar, battery storage and transmission projects possible. Many Virginia facilities have invested significantly in efficiency improvements, emissions reductions and sustainable production practices. However, they also understand that a major energy transition won’t happen overnight. Supporting the grid with reliable sources of dispatchable power, like natural gas, can boost our economy over a practical energy transition timeline.
The commonwealth’s potential for economic growth is enormous, but we can’t let the energy affordability and capacity crisis slow our momentum. With the end of the 2026 legislative session quickly approaching, Virginia legislators should restore the State Corporation Commission’s full authority over the Virginia Clean Economy Act to carefully balance energy demands, supplies and costs to ensure that Virginia manufacturers keep their machines running and workforce growing.
Sidney Harrison is the founder and former CEO of Industrial TurnAround Corp. He is also the immediate past chairman of the Virginia Manufacturers Association Board of Directors.
