Microsoft could walk away from its 24/7 clean energy target as Virginia data centers boom

Microsoft's Virginia data-center expansion is drawing renewed scrutiny of its 24/7 clean energy pledge. Bloomberg reported the company may be drifting from the target to match electricity use with zero-carbon power by 2030. Azure centers already operate in Mecklenburg County and Northern Virginia, with more planned as demand climbs. Inside Climate News noted Microsoft had supported Dominion Energy's gas proposals, complicating Virginia's Clean Economy Act phaseout. Climate advocates say the mismatch between promises and power choices could influence the state's energy trajectory for years. Tim Cywinski of the Sierra Club criticized the pace of change, and Lt. Gov. Hashmi warned that speed and scale threaten clean-energy goals. Microsoft says adjustments are part of a disciplined approach, not a retreat from long-term ambition, and maintains its broader climate strategy remains intact as data-center growth reshapes electricity demand. The debate underscores the tension between rapid data-center expansion and Virginia's climate targets.