Certified Site Makes a Stafford County Business Park Ideal for Data Center

STAFFORD, Va., Nov. 20, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Dominion Virginia Power and Stafford County have announced the certification of a data center site—the latest to pass Dominion's stringent criteria in its Data Center Site Certification Program and the first in Stafford County.

The 12.5-acre site, located within the Quantico Corporate Center, was identified as an ideal location for a data center, just 30 miles from Washington, D.C., with access to ample and reliable electric power and an extensive fiber-optic network along the I-95 corridor.

"It has been an exciting and rewarding experience partnering with Dominion, SummitIG, Silver Companies, and the Timmons Group to ready this site for certification," said Stafford County Administrator Anthony J. Romanello. "All the factors necessary to ensure successful site development are in place: reliable electric infrastructure and low rates, proximity to large capacity water and sewer service, transportation and access to a robust fiber-optic network. Stafford County boasts a pro-business climate with favorable tax policies, investment in infrastructure and lower costs for land, facilities and labor. We welcome the economic growth that development of this site will bring to the Stafford area, just 25 miles south of the Capital Beltway."

The County partnered with Silver Companies to develop the site, and with SummitIG, a Virginia-based bandwidth infrastructure provider, to plan and route a fiber-optic cyber network to the site from its expanding network along the I-95 corridor.

"The certification process reduces both time and risk for any business selecting a site," said Robert M. Blue, president of Dominion Virginia Power. "The collaboration between Stafford County, the Fredericksburg Regional Alliance, and Dominion ensures that the site will be an excellent fit not only for the next data center, but also for the region."

Dominion's investment in its transmission and distribution networks makes it one of the most reliable in the country. A balanced, growing mix of diverse generation provides energy at industrial rates about 31% below the national average.

Dominion's Data Center Program evaluates and analyzes more than 30 specific factors, ranging from topography and geology to available fiber, utilities, transportation networks and risk factors such as flooding and storms. Dominion's third-party engineering partner, The Timmons Group, performs a stringent and detailed field analysis.

Other Dominion-certified sites in Virginia are located in the counties of Chesterfield, Goochland, Henrico, Mecklenburg, and Alleghany. Sixty-five data centers, occupying more than 6 million square feet are already located within Dominion's service territory. Many of them are located in Northern Virginia.

For a complete listing of the sites and criteria, visit https://www.dom.com/business/dominion-virginia-power/b2b-services/economic-development-and-data-centers/data-center-services/sites.

About Dominion
Dominion (NYSE: D) is one of the nation's largest producers and transporters of energy, with a portfolio of approximately 23,600 megawatts of generation. Dominion operates one of the nation's largest natural gas storage systems and serves utility and retail energy customers in 10 states. For more information about Dominion, visit the company's website at www.dom.com.

About Stafford County
Located just 25 miles south of the Capital Beltway, Stafford is home to more than 140,000 residents and businesses, such as GEICO, Intuit, Bae, Northrup Grumman, Lockheed Martin and Iron Mountain. Its workforce is highly educated and its community assets support a robust and profitable business environment. To find out more, see www.GoStaffordVa.com.

About SummitIG
Dulles, Virginia - based SummitIG provides custom network solutions and bandwidth infrastructure services using its dense and unique fiber-optic network located throughout key markets in Virginia. The company specializes in dark fiber connectivity for data center, carrier, enterprise customers, giving them strategic alternatives, unique routes, and greater flexibility to control their own networks. For more information about SummitIG, please visit www.SummitIG.com.

About Timmons Group
Timmons Group is a multi-disciplined engineering and technology firm recognized for nearly twenty years as one of Engineering News Record's (ENR) Top 500 Design Firms in the country.  The firm provides economic development, civil engineering, environmental, GIS/geospatial technology, landscape architecture and surveying services to a diverse client base. Headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, Timmons Group has regional offices throughout Virginia and North Carolina. For more information, visit www.timmons.com.

About Quantico Corporate Center at Stafford, VA, a Silver Companies Development
Since breaking ground in 2006, QCCS has become the leading corporate office park in the Quantico region of Virginia.  QCCS is home to top global defense corporations, the US Government and leading academic institutions to include: BAE Systems, Camber Corporation, CSC, General Dynamics, ManTech International, Marine Corps Systems Command, MITRE, QinetiQ North America, SAIC, URS Corporation, and the University of Maryland University College.  QCCS provides a physical environment for hosting cyber certification, training and evaluation activities in support of cyber workforce.  Just recently, the Stafford County Government of Virginia announced the acquisition of land in QCCS to further enhance technology and research efforts in the Quantico region. 

The entire development will include over one million square feet of Class A office space.  The space can be designed to meet DOD Minimum Anti-Terrorism Standards and SCIF Compliance.  Leases range from 5,000 square feet to complete buildings.  For information about office space at QCCS, please visit www.QuanticoCorporateCenter.com or call Amanda Dillon at (540) 548-1150.

About Silver Companies
Silver Companies has been investing in real estate for more than 50 years. Their team of real estate professionals has extensive experience in the acquisition, development, financing, management, and leasing and sale of properties. They manage a portfolio worth more than $500 million. Investments include apartment communities, retail and office buildings, hotels and commercial land. During the last 10 years, Silver Companies has acquired and developed $1.3 billion of real estate. 

SOURCE Dominion Virginia Power