Microsoft Preserves Appeal Rights Amid Virginia Transmission Cost Ruling

Microsoft has filed a notice of appeal with the Virginia Supreme Court regarding a decision by the state's Corporation Commission (SCC) that ordered Dominion Energy to directly assign some costs of transmission to large-load facilities, specifically data centers.

The SCC made this decision in a July 31 ruling, which also required Dominion to craft an amendment to its existing line extension policy within 90 days. The amended policy is due to be filed in a new docket in October.

A Microsoft spokesperson said the company has not yet appealed the decision but is preserving its ability to challenge it. 'While Microsoft has not appealed the Commission's decision, it is preserving its rights to ensure that any rates ultimately put in place are transparent, fair, and reflect the costs each customer creates,' the spokesperson stated.

Other major data center operators, including Google, Amazon, and Meta, also participated in the case. Google's Strategic Negotiator Hannah Coman told Utility Dive that she sees the commission's order as 'thoughtful' but is looking for clarification on how the direct interconnection costs will be defined.