Amazon investing US$20bn on two data centres in this US state

The buildout will support Amazon Web Services’ (AWS) growing AI and cloud infrastructure needs and will include new campuses in Salem Township and Falls Township. Several additional sites are also under consideration, Amazon said.

The company estimates the programme will create 1,250 new high-skilled roles and support “thousands” of local construction and supply chain jobs tied to AWS’s data centre development. Permanent roles expected to be created include data centre engineers, operations managers, network specialists and security staff.

“By expanding our cloud computing infrastructure, we’re investing in Pennsylvania’s future through new jobs, workforce development programs, and community initiatives,” said David Zapolsky, Amazon’s chief global affairs and legal officer.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro added, “This initial investment from Amazon will create thousands of good-paying, stable jobs as Pennsylvania workers build, maintain, and operate the first two data center campuses in Luzerne County and Bucks County.”

Amazon said the project will be supported by training centres and pre-apprenticeship programmes to help workers develop the skills to build and operate data centres. 

While Amazon has not named its contractors or a full delivery schedule, local filings indicate that the first campus – adjacent to the Susquehanna nuclear power plant – could be operational by 2027, pending regulatory approvals.

The other site, in Bucks County, is located on the redeveloped US Steel property at Keystone Trade Center in Morrisville. One campus will connect directly to nuclear power via a dedicated feed, bypassing the traditional grid.

Permitting is being fast-tracked, with the state offering tax incentives and committing $10 million toward local workforce training.

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