Salem Township (Berwick), Luzerne County
Nautilus Cryptomine was a 200 megawatt bitcoin mine next to Talen's Susquehanna nuclear plant in Salem Township, Luzerne County, powered directly by the plant; TeraWulf sold its stake to Talen in 2024, Talen stopped using it in June 2025, and Amazon Web Services took possession of the structures that September.
TeraWulf and Talen formed Nautilus Cryptomine on May 13, 2021 to build up to 300 megawatts of bitcoin mining beside the Susquehanna nuclear plant, and World Nuclear News reported in August 2021 that the first phase was planned at 180 megawatts, would cost about $350 million to $400 million and was expected online in mid-2022. Mining began in the first quarter of 2023, and by early 2024 Nautilus owned a 200 megawatt facility, with 50 megawatts of operating capacity attributed to TeraWulf at the end of 2023. On February 28, 2024 TeraWulf exercised an option for another 50 megawatts. In March 2024 Talen sold its neighboring Cumulus data center campus to Amazon Web Services, a deal that left Nautilus out. On October 2, 2024 Talen's Cumulus Coin LLC bought out TeraWulf for $85 million in cash plus miners worth about $7 million, and TeraWulf said it was selling ahead of the June 2027 expiration of the 2 cent power contract and ground lease. In June 2025 Talen and Amazon announced an expanded deal for up to 1,920 megawatts from Susquehanna through 2042, and Talen agreed that month to stop using Nautilus. In September 2025 the facility lease ended and AWS took possession of the structures, which Talen reported in its 2025 annual report.
Nautilus sat behind the meter and wasn't connected to the grid, which TeraWulf said avoided the transmission and distribution charges other large power users pay; its nuclear power came under a five-year supply term with two three-year renewal options.
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (EDGAR)TeraWulf described Nautilus as the first bitcoin mine powered entirely by behind-the-meter, zero-carbon nuclear energy from the Susquehanna plant.
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (EDGAR)In Pennsylvania, the local zoning ordinance sets the route. A conditional use is decided by the elected governing body (supervisors, commissioners or council). A special exception or variance, and an appeal of a zoning officer’s decision, go to the Zoning Hearing Board. Each is a public hearing on a record: affected neighbors can ask for party status, cross-examine witnesses, and appeal. Municipalities can also adopt data center ordinances with enforceable standards.
Know your rights →Organized community opposition is the single most effective check on these projects in Pennsylvania. Show up to hearings, submit comment when it is taken, support legal and expert-witness costs, and press your municipality for a real ordinance. Pennsylvania municipalities cannot simply freeze applications, but a curative amendment under the Planning Code gives them a defined window to fix a defective ordinance.
How communities push back →