Data center growth in Northern Virginia is no secret. Residents, commuters, and industry stakeholders all recognize Loudoun County as the heart of “Data Center Alley.” What is less visible, however, is the scale and complexity of the infrastructure required to power these facilities.
One of the most significant projects underway involves delivering more than 70 MW of critical load from Dominion Energy’s substations through a highly coordinated underground utility corridor. This power will not only serve a single client, but also two adjacent data centers, underscoring the regional importance of the effort.
The challenge lies in the routing. Dominion’s feeder extensions must cross multiple parcels of private property and weave through a congested corridor of existing utilities. To accomplish this, a 15-foot-wide underground utility easement was negotiated with three separate property owners, a unique agreement that provided the path forward, but also presented technical hurdles requiring precision engineering and coordination.
Expanding Dry Utility Design and Coordination Scope
DFM Development Services was initially brought on board in a limited role, providing consulting and coordination on off-site dry utility relocations. But as the complexity of the project became clearer, DFM’s scope quickly expanded. The firm’s dry utility consultants were tasked with complete dry utility design, consulting, and coordination for both off-site and on-site power systems, as well as subsurface utility engineering (SUE) for Dominion’s critical feeder extensions.
Subsurface Utility Engineering in a Complex Utility Corridor
Routing the feeders through the new easement required designing a unique conduit system that could safely cross a multitude of existing utilities already crowding the corridor. That’s where DFM’s subsurface engineering team went to work.
Crews deployed hydro-excavation equipment to execute test pitting to physically expose utilities and confirm their locations. The data collected was translated into a detailed CAD-based utility survey, providing the design team as well as engineering and utility partners with an accurate map of underground conditions.
Through careful planning, advanced SUE techniques, and proactive coordination, DFM provided its client with:
- Accurate CAD utility survey data to guide feeder routing.
- Efficient test pitting and CCTV verification, reducing unnecessary excavation.
- A conduit system design capable of navigating one of the most complex underground corridors in the area.
- Successful integration with Dominion Energy to deliver more than 70 MW of capacity to the mission-critical facilities.
Supporting Data Center Power Capacity with Utility Design Expertise
What could have been a major bottleneck for one of Northern Virginia’s most critical data center projects was instead transformed into a coordinated success. By combining utility design expertise with hands-on subsurface engineering, DFM Development Services not only overcame the challenges of easement negotiations and crowded corridors, but also delivered a path for reliable, long-term power delivery.
For more information about DFM’s dry utility design and coordination services, including subsurface utility engineering, please contact us today!
