The Daily Dig
West Virginia has approved High Impact Data Center certification for two projects worth a combined $81.2 billion, and neither developer is sending the infrastructure bill to ratepayers.
Governor Patrick Morrisey made the announcement at the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting and Business Summit at The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs. The larger of the two projects comes from NScale, with Phase One projected at $69.2 billion.
That phase alone will require roughly 2 gigawatts of power. It's projected to support 4,375 construction jobs, with 645 permanent jobs to follow once the facility is operational.
Starwood Digital Ventures also received High Impact Data Center certification, for a project in Mason County. Starwood is projecting $12 billion in investment, with the build requiring about 2.16 gigawatts of power and supporting approximately 1,500 jobs.
Both developers are covering their own infrastructure costs. Morrisey called the projects proof of what "responsible development looks like," and said the state has pulled in "approximately $96 billion in privatesector investment and more than 19,000 projected jobs" since October 2025.
Two smaller items rounded out the announcement. Life sciences company Randox is expanding in Jefferson County with a $13 million investment and 100 new jobs. AEP has also acquired the Longview Power Plant and committed to building additional generation capacity in the state.
Snapshot:
Announcement date: September 3, 2026
Location: White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia (announcement site); NScale project location not specified in source; Starwood project located in Mason County, West Virginia
Total investment announced (NScale + Starwood): $81.2 billion
Total private sector investment since October 2025: Approximately $96 billion
Total projected jobs since October 2025: More than 19,000
NScale Project:
Certification: High Impact Data Center
Phase One investment: $69.2 billion (projected)
Power requirement: Approximately 2 gigawatts
Construction jobs: Approximately 4,375
Permanent jobs: 645
Infrastructure cost responsibility: NScale
Starwood Digital Ventures Project:
Certification: High Impact Data Center
Location: Mason County, West Virginia
Investment: $12 billion (projected)
Power requirement: Approximately 2.16 gigawatts
Jobs supported: Approximately 1,500
Infrastructure cost responsibility: Starwood
Other Developments:
Randox expansion location: Jefferson County, West Virginia
Randox investment: $13 million
Randox jobs added: 100
AEP activity: Acquired Longview Power Plant; committed to additional generation capacity in West Virginia
TheJobWalk Thoughts
Certification is the green light, not the groundbreaking. NScale and Starwood have cleared a real regulatory hurdle here, but the release doesn't say contracts are signed or crews are mobilizing. GCs and subs watching this space should treat it as a strong signal to start building relationships, not a signal that bid packages are imminent.
Both developers footing their own infrastructure costs is worth noting for reasons beyond ratepayer optics. It usually means the developer has the balance sheet to move on their own timeline instead of waiting on a utility's capital planning cycle, which can be where data center schedules stall on other projects.
At a combined 4.16 gigawatts of power demand between the two projects, this is the kind of announcement that puts West Virginia on the radar for electrical and mechanical subcontractors across the region. Worth watching for when scope actually hits the street.
🥾Want to advertise in TheJobWalk? Learn More🥾
