Nebius Unveils Details for 1.2GW Data Center Campus in Pennsylvania

AI cloud provider Nebius has disclosed new details about its ambitious plan to build a massive data center campus in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania. The Nasdaq-listed company, known for its cloud infrastructure tailored for AI workloads, is developing the facility in Butler Township’s Highridge Business Park, approximately 89 kilometers west of Allentown. The announcement underscores the surging demand for compute capacity driven by generative AI and hyperscale cloud services.

Located at the intersection of Interstate 81 and Gordon Mountain Road, the purpose-built campus will span roughly 600 acres and deliver 1.2 gigawatts of total capacity upon full buildout. The initial phase, targeting 260 megawatts, is expected to become operational by October 2027. According to site plans, capacity could reach 660 megawatts by 2029 and surpass one gigawatt shortly thereafter. The campus will feature six single-story buildings, all fully owned and operated by Nebius.

“The area offers a compelling combination of infrastructure, workforce, and local leadership — including proactive zoning that permits data center development –– and we believe there is strong potential to create a long-term, mutually beneficial partnership with the community,” the company said. Nebius first announced the 1.2GW project in May 2026, but released few specifics at the time. CEO Arkady Volozh had previously indicated that 250 to 350 megawatts would be live by the end of 2027.

To power the campus, Nebius has secured a dedicated energy service agreement with PPL Electric Utilities. The facility is designed to include a Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) capable of providing backup and redundant power for approximately 30 minutes in the event of an outage. Both air- and liquid-cooling systems will be deployed, along with closed-loop cooling to minimize water consumption. Local press reports indicate that Nebius closed on the land on May 1 for $187.5 million.

The Pennsylvania project adds to Nebius’s growing global footprint spanning the United States, the Middle East, and Europe. In the U.S., the company is set to lease data centers in Vineland, New Jersey (through DataOne) and Kansas City, Missouri (via Patmos). It is also developing its own facilities in Independence, Missouri, and Birmingham, Alabama. Nebius counts Meta, Microsoft, and AI model developer Reflection among its customers. The new campus positions the company to meet escalating demand for high-density AI compute while leveraging Pennsylvania’s favorable zoning and energy infrastructure.