Caroline County, VirginiaMonitoring

Caroline County, VA — REC / Hyperscale Energy Services / Data Center Rate Impact

Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (REC) serves approximately 183,000 members across 22 Virginia counties including Caroline, Spotsylvania, and Culpeper. Between 2023 and 2025, REC's internal data center load forecast increased from 3.3 gigawatts to 17 gigawatts — a 5× increase in one year. REC formally told the Virginia SCC in Case PUR-2025-00048 that without a dedicated rate structure for data center customers, infrastructure costs WILL shift to residential members. HYPERSCALE ENERGY SERVICES LLC (HES): • October 16, 2024: REC's Board of Directors passed Resolution #2024-10-01, authorizing a loan of $1,500,000 in cooperative member funds to HES as seed capital. No member vote. No member notification. Source: REC Board of Directors Meeting Minutes, October 16, 2024 (myrec.coop/governance-document-center) • November 20, 2025: Virginia SCC Order Denying Approval in Case PUR-2025-00178 — rejected the HES affiliate structure as inconsistent with Virginia cooperative law and the Virginia Affiliates Act (Title 56, Chapter 4). • Despite the SCC's denial, HES continued operating. Per REC's 2025 audited financial statements (audited April 16, 2026, available at myrec.coop): - HES had $25.2 million in PJM collateral posted as of December 31, 2025 - HES owed $27.2 million to REC in intercompany payables - HES was operating at a $1.035 million net loss - HES generated zero revenue from energy services • Data center deposits held as cooperative liabilities: $105.6M in 2024 → $351.9M in 2025 — now representing 70% of total member equity ($496M). THE LP-DF RATE (Case PUR-2025-00048): The Large Power — Data Facility tariff was designed to create a dedicated rate class for data center customers. REC told the SCC this structure was necessary to prevent cost-shifting to residential members. The rate case was ongoing through mid-2026. Whether approved rate structures adequately protect 183,000 residential members remains an active regulatory question. THE RUTHER GLEN LAND PURCHASE — INSIDER KNOWLEDGE QUESTION: In September 2022 — more than a year before REC filed its first public demand-projection request for a Ruther Glen data center campus — Malik Yousif (MYS Energy, Manassas, petroleum background, no prior Caroline County real estate history) purchased 47 acres at Partnership Blvd, Ruther Glen. His LLC was named Partnership Blvd Properties after the street address. He sold the parcel to REC in March 2025 for an undisclosed price (likely 3-7x purchase price based on comparable land values). REC used this parcel as part of the 60.48-acre campus rezoned under RZ-04-2025, for an unnamed 30-year data center customer who signed an Energy Service Agreement in December 2025 and received its first HES bill in January 2026. The person who possessed knowledge of REC's Ruther Glen campus plans in 2022 was Charles W. Payne, Jr. — REC's General Counsel. This does not prove Payne disclosed the information to Yousif. It is the question a fiduciary duty investigation, regulatory complaint, or FOIA request should ask. The December 2025 special meeting at which the 30-year customer agreement was signed saw Payne replaced by his Hirschler colleague Brittany Falabella — suggesting a potential recusal. FOIA LEVER: Under Virginia Code §56-37, REC members may request access to REC's books and records. Specifically: the full purchase agreement for Partnership Blvd Properties LLC, any appraisal, and any conflict-of-interest certification signed by Payne in connection with that transaction. Sources: REC Board Minutes October 16, 2024 (myrec.coop); REC 2025 Audited Financial Statements (myrec.coop); SCC Order PUR-2025-00178; SCC Case PUR-2025-00048; Caroline County RZ-04-2025 application and BOS minutes; Virginia Code §56-37.

REC Rappahannock_Electric_Cooperative HES Hyperscale_Energy_Services rate_hike SCC_PUR-2025-00048 SCC_PUR-2025-00178 member_funds data_center LP_DF_tariff PJM_collateral Charlie_Payne Valley_Link Yousif_land insider_knowledge
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FOIA & Government Records (11)

DocumentCaroline County Water Infrastructure Records Request

This document is a formal response to a public records request regarding the management and maintenance of local water infrastructure. It reveals specific data points on service interruptions and highlights the operational challenges the utility provider has faced. This information is critical for residents to understand the history of system performance and to support arguments for improved infrastructure investment.

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DocumentPublic social media post using derogatory language

This document is a screenshot of a public Facebook post made by Clay Forehand, the Chairman of the Caroline County Board of Supervisors. The post features a meme and commentary that uses derogatory language to refer to transgender people.

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DocumentFOIA Response 26-119 regarding State of Escape, LLC payments

This document is a formal response to a FOIA request concerning payments made by Caroline County to a company called State of Escape, LLC. It details the dates and staff members responsible for receiving, verifying, and issuing payment for services rendered in December 2025. The record serves as a verification of the county's financial trail for this specific vendor.

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DocumentCaroline County Invoice for State of Escape, LLC

This document contains an invoice from 'State of Escape, LLC' to Caroline County for meeting support services totaling $2,640.00. It includes internal email discussions between a county assistant and the vendor regarding billing adjustments and coordination of equipment setup. This information helps clarify how the county spends its administrative budget on third-party vendors for meeting management.

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DocumentInvoice for Video Recording Services - State of Escape, LLC

This document is a record of public expenditure regarding a contract with 'State of Escape, LLC' for professional video recording services of various Caroline County government meetings. It details a payment of $1,320 for work performed in July 2024 across the Broadband Advisory Committee, Board of Supervisors, and Planning Commission. This provides citizens with transparency into how specific public funds are being utilized for digital recording and archival services.

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DocumentState of Escape, LLC Invoice for Meeting Services

This document is a government invoice revealing that Caroline County paid $1,400 to 'State of Escape, LLC' for professional recording services for several public meetings held in May 2022. The internal email correspondence shows how these invoices are submitted and processed for payment by the County Administration. It serves as a record of municipal spending for documentation services of public governmental proceedings.

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DocumentVendor Invoice for Administrative Services - State of Escape, LLC

This document is a professional invoice from a vendor called 'State of Escape, LLC' for services provided to the Caroline County government in March 2022. It details charges for recording meetings and creating web copies of records, totaling $1,750. This provides a clear look at how taxpayer money is being used for administrative support services.

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DocumentState of Escape, LLC Invoices to Caroline County

This document consists of four invoices from 'State of Escape, LLC' to Caroline County for professional recording services of various government meetings, including the Board of Supervisors and Planning Commission. It details specific charges for meeting recordings and web copies, providing a snapshot of the county's costs associated with documenting public proceedings.

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DocumentVDH Complaint Investigation Report - Lake Land’or Waterworks

This document is a formal investigation report from the Virginia Department of Health into brown and discolored water reported by residents of Lake Land’or. It reveals that samples taken from homes confirmed iron and manganese levels significantly above recommended limits, despite the utility's treatment systems appearing functional at the time of the inspection. The state has issued recommendations to the utility to improve system flushing and monitor water tanks more closely to address the recurring sediment issues.

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DocumentVDH Request for Monthly Iron and Manganese Monitoring - Lake Land’Or

This document is a formal letter from the Virginia Department of Health to Aqua Virginia, Inc., requiring them to report iron and manganese levels at their Lake Land’Or facility more frequently. The state mandated this change because residents have filed many complaints about discolored water, and internal reviews of water samples back to 2018 showed that iron levels often exceeded safety guidelines. Essentially, this record proves that state regulators are officially tracking persistent water quality problems at this specific location.

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DocumentFOIA Response 26-119: Payments to State of Escape, LLC

This document is a formal response from the Caroline County Finance Department regarding a public records request about payments to a vendor named 'State of Escape, LLC.' It confirms that the county made a payment for services provided in December 2025 and specifies that no further invoices were submitted for this vendor after January 2026. The response also lists the specific staff members who handled the invoice and payment process.

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Meeting Records (0)

No meeting records published for this county yet.

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