--- title: "County With 37 Data Centers Tells Schools to “Turn Off Your Lights” to Save Electricity Ahead of Scorching Heat Wave" description: "Henrico County, Virginia, a quickly emerging data center hub advised its schools to \"conserve electricity\" ahead of a brutal heat wave." date: "2026-07-02" modified: "2026-07-02" authors: - name: "Frank Landymore" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/flandymore" url: "https://futurism.com/science-energy/county-37-data-centers-schools-conserve-power" categories: - "Energy" - "Science & Energy" --- # County With 37 Data Centers Tells Schools to “Turn Off Your Lights” to Save Electricity Ahead of Scorching Heat Wave ![A composite photo illustration featuring a businessman with his hand on hip and the other wagging a finger at a group of sad schoolchildren.]() *Illustration by Tag Hartman-Simkins / Futurism. Source: Shutterstock* Henrico County, Virginia, is home to 37 data centers, with 17 more on the way. Right now, it's being burned to a crisp amid a brutal heatwave, as is the rest of the east coast. Thank heavens for air conditioning, right? Maybe not if you're one of penny-pinching county's schools: days before this heatwave descended upon the area, the Henrico public schools were asked to dial back their electricity usage, [*404 Media* reports](). "Beginning July 1st, the rate we pay for electricity used in all Henrico County government and school facilities will increase dramatically — by 25 percent, increasing costs by an estimated $5 million next fiscal year," John Vithoulkas, the county manager, wrote in an email sent to thousands of county employees that was obtained by *404*. "We anticipate more rate increases for electricity in the years ahead." Vithoulkas didn't suggest dialing back the AC, but he may as well have. We're firmly in heat wave season now, and it's usually the consequent spike in demand for indoor cooling that [ends up putting the most strain on the power grid](). (Beyond the existing strain placed, in this case, by huge data centers.) "To mitigate the impact of higher electric costs, I am asking that we, collectively, make slight adjustments to conserve electricity across our individual workspaces," Vithoulkas wrote in the email. "Turn off your lights when leaving your workspace, including when you leave for the day," he continued. "Turn off your computers/laptops at the end of each workday. If your workspace has windows, adjust the blinds to manage heat from sunlight." Vithoulkas also suggested not using space heaters, claiming that a single space heater costs the county up to $300 per year. That may be true, but that's months away from being relevant advice. The eyebrow-raising demand sums up why data centers continue to be so controversial with locals, as communities across the country fiercely protest against existing data centers and the construction of new ones. These sprawling facilities devour an enormous amount of power, require heaps of water to keep cool, and generate tons of noise, on top of being an eyesore that [requires hundreds of acres of land be flattened](). Studies have shown that the [electricity bills of ordinary people who live near data centers are soaring](), and *404* noted the plight of one woman who used solar panels and a heat pump to keep her energy costs down and still saw her electricity bill double. **More on data centers:** [*Massive Data Center Cooks Nearby Residents Alive Amidst Deadly Heatwave*]() ## Author At Futurism, my work has often centered on bringing a sense of clarity and insight to complex topics ranging from the regulation of emerging technologies to the esoteric ideologies of Silicon Valley executives, while striving not to lose the poetic sense of awe inspired by often-obscure fields like astrophysics and quantum computing. I broke the story of CNET using AI to produce articles that turned out to be riddled with factual errors and plagiarism — a dam-breaking inflection point, as I've reported, that's inspired copycats and endless discourse while beguiling stakeholders ranging from tech giants to purveyors of spam around the web. My work at Futurism has been cited by publications including CBS News, the Los Angeles Times, Vice, Gizmodo, Engadget, the Verge, and Vanity Fair. I grew up in locales ranging from India to China, and now live in the exotic suburbs of Virginia. In my free time, I'm an avid reader of weird sci-fi literature, an aficionado of East Asian cinema, and, regrettably, a relapsed gamer. Allegedly, I’m working on a debut novel, currently untitled. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()