Cumulus Data announced that it has completed key milestones in the construction of Phase 1 of its flagship 475-megawatt zero-carbon Susquehanna data center campus located in northeast Pennsylvania. The construction of the powered shell for its first 48-megawatt, 300,000-square-foot data center is complete and available for lease, with various fiber routes in service.
Industry-leading total cost of ownership
The 1,200-acre campus, a first of its kind in the U.S., will provide zero-carbon, low-cost, reliable energy generated by Talen Energy’s Susquehanna nuclear power generation facility. The Cumulus data centers will be directly connected to the 2.5-gigawatt Susquehanna power stations, without intermediation by legacy electric transmission and distribution utilities, providing data center customers significant value and competitive advantages.
This direct-connect, on-site power generation model enables industry-leading total cost of ownership with the most attractive power rate in the U.S. The size and design of the Cumulus campus offer scalability, flexibility, and time-to-market advantages with build-to-suit options, coupled with strong zero-carbon ESG customer benefits.
Alejandro “Alex” Hernandez, CEO of Talen Energy said,
« Our flagship Cumulus Susquehanna data center campus is positioned to welcome its first tenant and commence commercial operations this year. We look forward to advancing our mission to solve the energy ‘trilemma’ which we define as the rapidly increasing consumer demand for zero-carbon, low-cost, and reliable electricity by data center customers, beginning with our first Cumulus Susquehanna data center campus. »
Economic benefits
In addition to meeting the growing need for zero-carbon, low-cost, reliable energy to power technology applications, the Cumulus Susquehanna data center campus investment will create family-sustaining jobs, provide technology training, and offer economic benefits including tax revenue and increased consumption of local goods and services to both Pennsylvania and the surrounding community.
Cumulus expects to replicate this model at other locations and provide these benefits to additional communities in which Talen Energy operates. Scott Hanna Cumulus Chief Revenue Officer also talked about the new Cumulus carbon-free data center platform:
« There are currently few options that fulfill all three requirements at once – at massive scale, while offering data center customers an industry-leading TCO. As a member of the iMasons Climate Accord, Talen and Cumulus will support our customers in achieving carbon neutrality by uniting together to adopt a common standard enabled by solutions such as the Cumulus carbon-free data center platform. »