# Northern Virginia: what a 50 MW connection costs under Dominion Energy Virginia

URL: https://open-factory.com/power/northern-virginia/
Data as of: 2026-08-21
Publisher: Open Factory, https://open-factory.com

**What does a 50 MW connection cost in Northern Virginia?** In Northern Virginia, Dominion Energy Virginia connects a 50 MW load under Schedule GS-5 (large-load class) plus SCC-ordered mandatory CIAC for direct-connect transmission, docket PUR-2025-00058 (GS-5 approved 2025-11-25). Minimum bill: 85% of contract demand for distribution and transmission; 60% for generation. Term: 14 years. Realistic energization: 2033. Open Factory's Large-Load Cost Table, as of August 21, 2026.

## Facts

- Market: Northern Virginia, VA (PJM)
- Utility: Dominion Energy Virginia
- Tariff or rule: Schedule GS-5 (large-load class) plus SCC-ordered mandatory CIAC for direct-connect transmission
- Docket: PUR-2025-00058 (GS-5 approved 2025-11-25); PUR-2026-00056 (final order 2026-07-31)
- Status: GS-5 approved; CIAC amendment to be filed within 90 days of 2026-07-31
- Large-load threshold: 25 MW
- Study fee: not published in sources opened
- Security or collateral: $1.5 million per MW of contracted capacity
- Minimum bill: 85% of contract demand for distribution and transmission; 60% for generation
- Contract term: 14 years
- Ramp: max 4 years with minimum 20% of contract capacity per year
- Exit fee: exit fees in tariff (amount not in sources opened)
- CIAC exposure: mandatory CIAC for direct-connect substations and lines (net of expected transmission revenue) ordered 2026-07-31; higher-order transmission costs under review
- Realistic energization, 50 MW: 2033
- Verification: VERIFIED (SCC order; LBNL/Brattle brief) except study fee and exit-fee amount
- Data as of: August 21, 2026

## Questions

### What does a 50 MW connection cost in Northern Virginia?

Dominion Energy Virginia: study fee not published in sources opened; collateral $1.5 million per MW of contracted capacity; minimum bill 85% of contract demand for distribution and transmission; 60% for generation; term 14 years.

### When can a 50 MW load be energized in Northern Virginia?

2033. JLL 2026 outlook: ~7 years average grid connection for a new 50 MW data center in N. Virginia; Dominion queue 70 GW vs 24.6 GW peak (Feb 2026).

### Which tariff applies to large loads in Northern Virginia?

Schedule GS-5 (large-load class) plus SCC-ordered mandatory CIAC for direct-connect transmission; docket PUR-2025-00058 (GS-5 approved 2025-11-25); PUR-2026-00056 (final order 2026-07-31); status: GS-5 approved; CIAC amendment to be filed within 90 days of 2026-07-31.

### Is this rate proposed or approved?

Approved or in effect as of the data date (GS-5 approved; CIAC amendment to be filed within 90 days of 2026-07-31). VERIFIED (SCC order; LBNL/Brattle brief) except study fee and exit-fee amount.

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- [Liquidated Damages at 0.5% a Week: Why Caps Sit at the Vendor's Margin](https://open-factory.com/articles/liquidated-damages/)
- [What 50 MW Costs in 15 US Markets](https://open-factory.com/articles/what-50mw-costs-15-markets/)
- [Introducing the Large-Load Cost Table: 15 Markets Side by Side](https://open-factory.com/articles/large-load-cost-table-launch/)
- [The 2% Funnel: 474 GW Requested, 9 GW Approved, 5.8 GW Energized in ERCOT](https://open-factory.com/articles/ercot-funnel/)
- [A Factory Owner's Guide to the PJM Capacity Charge](https://open-factory.com/articles/pjm-capacity-factory-bill/)
- [The $60 Million Deposit: How Equipment Slots Became Datacenter Currency](https://open-factory.com/articles/slot-economy/)

## Sources

- [Open Factory Large-Load Cost Table](https://open-factory.com/models/large-load-cost-table/)
- [scc.virginia.gov (2026-07-31)](https://www.scc.virginia.gov/docketsearch/DOCS/8dt001!.PDF)
- [eta-publications.lbl.gov (2026-08-10) pp.4-7 and 13](https://eta-publications.lbl.gov/sites/default/files/2026-08/rate_designs_large_loads_2026.08.10.pdf)
- [jll.com (2026-03) p.18](https://www.jll.com/content/dam/jllcom/en/global/documents/reports/research-reports/26-research-global-data-center-outlook-new.pdf)
- [utilitydive.com (2026-02)](https://www.utilitydive.com/news/states-ferc-large-load-tariff-doe-christie/816672/)

Model: https://open-factory.com/models/large-load-cost-table/
Calculator: https://open-factory.com/tools/interconnection-cost/