‘You just want to curse, it’s that bad’: a Virginia neighbor describes life next to a data center that never goes quiet

Residents living near data centers in Sterling, Virginia, are taking desperate measures to block out a constant, high-pitched noise that never stops. The issue stems from the Vantage Power Center, which is clearly visible from local homes. Data centers have become increasingly common across the United States as hubs for networked computers, servers, and artificial intelligence, and they have become a major point of contention for neighbors dealing with the daily reality of living next to them.

The noise, which residents describe as a high-pitched whine, is generated by the natural gas turbines used to power the facility, as detailed by the Daily Dot. In a video reportedly shared on X, neighbors attempted to demonstrate the intensity of the sound. One resident told CNN that they were initially told the generators were only being tested for emergency readiness, but the noise never stopped as the months went on. Some neighbors have resorted to putting mattresses and plexiglass up in their windows in an attempt to dampen the constant ringing.

The Vantage VA2 facility in Loudoun County is the first in Virginia to use eight natural gas simple cycle turbines for full-time power. It also maintains a permit for 51 diesel generators for emergency backup power.

The noise has reportedly continued well into 2026

An independent study commissioned by the Piedmont Environmental Council and conducted by EmPower Analytics Group modeled the potential health impacts of these turbines when they operate in populated areas, according to a report from the Piedmont Environmental Council. The findings suggest that emissions from these onsite power plants could translate to millions of dollars in annual public health costs.

The study estimates that permitted emissions from the Vantage VA2 facility could result in 17 to 33 additional premature deaths over the next five years across the impacted region. Exposure to fine particulate matter, known as PM2.5, is widely recognized as a pollutant associated with respiratory, lung, and cardiovascular health problems. The study notes that these impacts are not limited to immediate neighbors, as emissions could reach more than 2.5 million people, including those living in neighboring counties and parts of the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area.

Local frustration has grown, with many residents feeling that the county downplayed the noise levels when the center was built. Some residents have called for the data center’s capacity to be reduced until a noise and vibration solution is in place, while others have suggested the facility should be responsible for relocating affected residents and covering medical costs tied to the proximity of the operation. Vantage and Loudoun County officials have not publicly responded to the specific noise and health complaints detailed in the report.

The regulatory environment remains a hurdle for those seeking relief. Currently, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality issues minor air permits for these onsite gas turbine systems without requiring public input or specific analysis of localized health impacts. These permits are based on a determination that pollution levels remain below 100 tons per year for specific criteria pollutants, even as clusters of data centers continue to be built near schools, parks, and homes.

These concerns are not unique to Virginia, as similar fights have played out elsewhere, including a Utah data center approved despite its massive power demands. Developers are already proposing larger projects in the region. Another site in Loudoun is proposing 23 gas turbines, roughly three times the number at the Vantage facility, while the Remington Technology Park in Fauquier County has proposed 13 onsite gas turbines in an area that already hosts two other fossil fuel power plants near a residential neighborhood.

The Piedmont Environmental Council is encouraging citizens to contact their elected officials to demand that data center proposals involving onsite natural gas power near homes or schools be rejected. The group is advocating for regulations to be amended so that these facilities are treated as standalone electric generating plants, which would subject them to a more thorough review process, a push that echoes concerns raised by a Utah State University professor over a separate data center’s heat output.

The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has not announced any changes to its current permitting process for onsite gas turbine systems.