Google files site plan for data center, moves forward with ‘Project Peanut’ in Chesterfield
VENN
CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Google is moving forward with its plan for a data center campus in Chesterfield County despite mixed reactions from residents and county leaders.
The tech giant filed its site plan for nearly 856,000 square feet in data facilities called "Project Peanut" on Sunday, Nov. 9. The data center campus will be built on a 300-acre site at 2700 Bermuda Hundred Road next to Meadowville Technology Park, according to the site plan.
The project is part of Google's $9 billion investment in Virginia's artificial intelligence infrastructure through the end of 2026. This also includes the expansion of existing data facilities in Loudoun and Prince William Counties, per a release from Gov. Glenn Youngkin's office.
Per the release, Google has qualified for Virginia's data center sales and use tax exemptions, meaning the company met the minimum investment and job requirements within the data center's locality.
According to filings with Chesterfield, the multiphase project will include three data center buildings — each about 285,000 square feet. There will be 345 parking spaces on campus.
Project Peanut's site plan submitted to Chesterfield County. (Photo: Chesterfield County)
As reported by Richmond BizSense, Google allegedly bought the Project Peanut's site for $18.1 million in 2020.
A Google representative also confirmed at a Chesterfield Board of Supervisors meeting in August that the company was behind two other data center projects in the county — Project Loch and Project Skye — but it has no current development plans for either project, Richmond BizSense reported.
PREVIOUS: Chesterfield residents voice concerns over new Google data center plan
When Virginia leaders first announced plans for the data facilities in August, authorities said Google had already broken ground on the project at the time of the announcement.
County leaders said Project Peanut — which they dubbed the "Rolls-Royce of data center operators" — will generate millions annually in local tax revenues and bring new opportunities in infrastructure, energy and employment.
However, some Chesterfield residents beg to differ. Community members told 8News that the data center unfairly shifts costs onto the community, including water usage and electricity expenses.
Per a county press release, Project Peanut construction is slated for the end of this year and takes around 18 to 24 months to complete.
Site plans did not include the total project cost or timeline. It's not clear how many jobs the data center will create.
