Amazon plans mammoth data centers in Pennsylvania

Amazon plans to invest at least $20 billion in new data centers in Pennsylvania, the e-commerce and technology giant announced on Monday. The company needs more data centers to support its artificial intelligence and cloud computing technologies, it said. Amazon Web Services owned 17.77 million square feet of data center and office space worldwide in 2024, according to Data Center Dynamics.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s team negotiated closely with Amazon to secure the deal, and is currently working to smooth the permitting process, according to the governor’s office. The new data centers are expected to create 1,250 job openings for high-skilled tech workers, according to Amazon. The company also intends to work with state educational institutions to increase K-12 technological education and train data and fiber optic technicians.

Where will the centers be located? The first two centers are planned for Salem Township and Falls Township, according to the governor’s office. Salem Township has a population of about 6,000, according to a 2024 estimate from Census.gov. Falls Township is larger, located in Bucks County with an estimated population of about 34,500. Other sites are also under consideration for future data centers, according to the governor’s office.

The center in Falls Township will be one or two stories tall, according to the township’s website. Its location at the Keystone Trade Center is some distance from residential areas—a boon for locals who may want to avoid data centers’ infamous noise levels.

Dig deeper: Read Christina Grube’s recent report on Pennsylvania’s lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture.