Microsoft is keeping open the possibility of contesting a Virginia State Corporation Commission order that would directly assign certain transmission costs to data centers. The company has until November to file a formal appeal, according to Utility Dive.
Separately, Dominion Energy faces an October deadline to submit policy changes that would bring its practices in line with the commission's ruling. The two deadlines give both parties time to respond to the decision, though Microsoft has not yet committed to appealing.
The dispute reflects broader tensions in Virginia, where rapid data center growth is driving demand for transmission infrastructure. Utilities and regulators are grappling over who should bear those costs, and this case could shape the framework for future cost allocation.