T5 Data Centers has asked Fairfax County, Virginia, for permission to build a data centre in Chantilly that would run mainly on natural-gas fuel cells, FFXnow reported on 9 October 2026. The county has not approved it, and every power and environmental claim below is the applicant’s.
What was reported
Reported (FFXnow). T5 has asked for a “special exception”, a permit needed because its 312,000-square-foot building would exceed 80,000 square feet on light-industrial land [1]. It calls the plan “Project Charlie”. FFXnow says it “could become the first fuel cell-powered data center in the county” [1].
What T5’s filing says
These are the applicant’s statements, in a letter signed on 18 September by its land-use attorney, Allison Reynolds [2].
- Power. “Natural gas fuel cells will supply the facility’s base load and provide approximately 48 MW of electricity”, base load being steady minimum demand. “Remaining electricity needs of up to 27 MW will be fulfilled by the power grid and supplied by Dominion Energy.” Washington Gas would supply the gas, and “the Proposal will not require an on-site substation” [2].
- Backup. It also proposes diesel backup generators, “A maximum of 26 generators”, while expecting “significantly less reliance on emergency generators than with a typical data center of similar size” [2].
- Environment. T5 says fuel cells have “significantly lower localized air pollution” than combustion, and plans “closed-loop, indirect chilled-water cooling architecture with dry (air-cooled) heat rejection”: sealed water loops that release heat to the air [2].
- Neighbours. The closest homes are about 1,400 feet away. T5’s consultant designs to a voluntary 45 dBA, against a 55 dBA county limit [2].
What this does not show
- It is not approved; T5 asks for a Planning Commission hearing [2].
- The filing names no fuel-cell maker, customer or emissions figures, so T5’s claims are unchecked [2].
- The 48 MW and up to 27 MW are two supply sources T5 lists, not the size of the computing load, and TSN does not add them up.
Related: who pays for AI’s power.
The Bottom Line
T5 wants to power a Chantilly data centre mainly with on-site fuel cells and a smaller grid connection. Until Fairfax County rules, it remains a proposal.
Related on TSN: Who Pays for AI’s Power? Duke’s Data-Centre Deal, Google in Indiana and the Rush to On-Site Gas
Sources
- Mary Stachyra Lopez, “Developer submits plans to build fuel cell-powered data center in Chantilly“, FFXnow, 9 October 2026, 9:15 a.m. (local news outlet; source of the application’s existence and the “first” framing).
- Allison Reynolds (for T5 Data Centers), “Statement of Justification, Proposed Special Exception, Fairfax County Tax Map 44-1 ((4)) 31B1“, letter to Fairfax County Department of Planning & Development, 18 September 2026 (the applicant’s own filing; every figure and claim is T5’s; hosted by FFXnow).
