Susquehanna / Cumulus AWS Hyperscale Campus

Under construction in Salem Township, Luzerne County

Current stage

AWS-owned and building out toward 960 MW, with two further large land assemblies now moving through Salem Township.

Decision body

Salem Township

Top issues

Residents and officials have focused on the size of the electrical load and what it does to regional capacity costs, the conversion of open land or farmland, water use, continuous mechanical noise, and emissions from backup generation.

AWS acquired Cumulus campus from Talen for $650M ($350M + $300M escrow released Aug 2024). Original 480 MW BTM ISA REJECTED by FERC Nov 1 2024 (2-1, Christie/See; Phillips dissent); rehearing denied April 2025. RESTRUCTURED June 2025 as front-of-meter PPA up to 1,920 MW through 2042. Existing 300 MW ISA in effect. Talen pursuing 5th Circuit appeal. SMR exploration in PPA. Talen Energy's Cumulus division began the 1,200-acre campus beside the 2.5 GW Susquehanna Steam Electric Station in 2021 and completed a first 48 MW, 300,000 sq ft hyperscale building along with a cryptomine. AWS bought the campus for $650 million and aims to develop up to 960 MW, with contractual power commitments ramping in 120 MW increments and a one-time option to cap at 480 MW. A 2025 power purchase agreement runs 17 years for up to 1.92 GW, reaching full delivery by 2032. Amazon says it is working with municipal authorities on water and sewer and with Talen to draw on Talen's existing Susquehanna River withdrawal docket, and describes air cooling most of the year with evaporative cooling during hot periods. Salem Township has since drawn two further land assemblies: 96 landowners sold roughly 1,700 acres for more than $500 million to Blackstone-owned QTS for a campus of 12 to 17 buildings with construction possibly starting fall 2026, and in June 2026 the 4-3 Glen Brook Group announced a $1.2 billion deal and an application to amend the township's Data Center Overlay District.

• 2024-06-01PJM files amended ISA at FERC for AWS-Talen 300→480 MW source
• 2024-11-01FERC 2-1 rejects PJM amended ISA for AWS-Talen co-located increase FERC
• 2025-04-16FERC denies Talen rehearing on co-located ISA FERC
• 2025-06-15AWS-Talen restructure to 1,920 MW Front-Of-Meter PPA SEC EDGAR
• 2025-08-23$300M Cumulus/AWS escrow released to Talen SEC EDGAR

• 2024-06-01
  FERC docket FERC · ER24-2172

  AWS-Talen ISA amendment 300→480 MW; rejected 2-1 Nov 1 2024; rehearing denied Apr 16 2025.

  PJM, Talen, AWS · Rehearing denied; appealed
• 2025-05-01
  Federal appeal 5th Circuit Court of Appeals · (pending)

  Talen appeal of FERC ISA rejection.

  Talen Energy · Pending

• 2026-06-13 Times Leader$1.2 billion land deal for second data center project in Salem Township announced by 4-3 GroupOverlay amendment sought; community benefits agreement floated
• 2026-03-20 FOX56Massive land deal in Salem Township paves way for major data center project96 landowners, ~1,700 acres, $500M+, Blackstone-owned QTS, 12 to 17 buildings
• 2026-03-07 Data Center DynamicsAWS acquires Talen's nuclear data center campus in Pennsylvania$650M sale; AWS targets 960 MW in 120 MW increments
• 2026-03 Data Center FrontierAWS Eyes 960 MW for Newly Acquired Nuclear Power Data Center in Pennsylvania1,200-acre campus; 30-year power commitments contemplated
• 2025-06-09 WNEP Newswatch 16New data center near Berwick promises local job growthLocal reaction in Salem Township and Berwick