Below is a digest of major data‑center construction news in the United States during the week of Oct 6 – 10, 2025. This roundup brings a concise view of the key developments shaping the landscape, from major site proposals and power-availability partnerships to the creative strategies top hyperscalers are using to accelerate campus buildouts and expand AI capacity. The digest includes planned projects, rezoning efforts and investment programs announced on Data Center Dynamics’ “Data‑Center Construction” channel.
| Project / Developer | Location | Scope & Size | Investment / Power | Timeline & Status | Contractors |
| WSG Land’s Social Circle data‑center campus | Social Circle, GA | Planned campus on ~150 acres at Hawkins Academy & Roy Malcom Road; developer’s concept includes three two‑story buildings totaling ~1.5 million sq ft with capacity of ~288 MW (96 MW per building). | Investment not disclosed; project would include a Georgia Power substation. | Oct 2025 – Social Circle Planning Commission recommended against annexation/rezoning; city enacted a 90‑day moratorium on new data centers. | Applicant WSG Land LLC (real‑estate/timber owner), led by Carlton Walstad; end‑user not named. Local opposition due to development pace. |
| HW Technology Park Development (Hillwood) – Joliet campus | South Joliet, IL | Proposal to annex ~795 acres of farmland to develop a three‑story data‑center campus with 24 buildings and an on‑site ComEd substation. | Cost and capacity not disclosed. | Annexation hearing scheduled Oct 16 2025; first buildings could start construction around 2027. | Developer is HW Technology Park Development LLC, part of Hillwood. Local officials concerned about water and electricity demand. |
| Mesone Data Center – Jarrell rezoning | Jarrell, TX | Developers plan to rezone ~150 acres at 3911 County Road 305 for the Mesone Data Center; design calls for a campus capable of 200 MW using natural‑gas turbines and grid power. | Investment not disclosed. | Planning & Zoning Commission recommended approval; City Council vote scheduled Oct 14 2025. | Land developer Prominent Property Group, construction manager Savannah Developers and Power Infrastructure Partners are partners. End‑user unspecified; residents worry about water and infrastructure impacts. |
| PCC‑DeKalb LLC’s Loveless Place data center | DeKalb County, GA | Rezoning request for ~95 acres to build a data‑center campus of about 1 million sq ft plus a Georgia Power substation. | Investment and end‑user undisclosed. | DeKalb County’s Planning Commission and staff recommended deferring the rezoning to Oct 28 2025 due to compatibility issues with the East Metro Corridor Overlay District. | Applicant PCC‑DeKalb LLC; local planners noted the absence of a developer name and sought more information. |
| Brian O’Neill’s Plymouth Township proposal | Plymouth Township, PA | Plan to repurpose the 66‑acre former steel mill at 900 Conshohocken Road into a data‑center complex by renovating ten buildings for ~2 million sq ft of space. The project would rely on on‑site gas turbines and generators. | Investment not publicly detailed; O’Neill suggested the development could bring $5 million in annual tax revenue. | Oct 2025 – Planning Agency voted 4–0 against recommending the rezoning; next step could be a hearing before the Zoning Hearing Board. | Developer is Brian O’Neill (executive behind O’Neill Properties Group). Residents expressed environmental and noise concerns. |
| Hermantown greenfield data‑center project | Hermantown, MN | City council adopted an Alternative Urban Area Review for ~403 acres at Morris Thomas Rd, Midway Rd and Solway Rd where a plan calls for four buildings. No capacity or end‑user disclosed. | Investment unspecified. | The project would take 5–10 years to complete. | Developer not named; residents worry about electricity and water demand. |
| Google’s DAEC‑adjacent data‑center plan | Linn County, IA | Google is exploring a campus of up to six data centers near the decommissioned Duane Arnold Energy Center (DAEC). The firm is funding a water‑usage study to assess impact. | Investment not disclosed; part of Google’s $7 billion pledge to invest in Iowa for new campuses. | Early stages as of Oct 2025; no construction timeline yet. | Project would be built on land owned by nuclear plant operator NextEra. County officials emphasize the need for a water study before proceeding. |
| Prometheus Hyperscale AI campus | Near Casper, WY | Planned second AI‑oriented campus delivering ~1.5 GW IT capacity; facility will rely on natural gas but aims to be carbon‑negative using carbon capture tech from Spiritus and Casper Carbon Capture. | Initial investment ~US$500 million. | First IT‑ready power expected 2026. | Developer Prometheus Hyperscale (Trenton Thornock). Campus will use aquifer‑based cooling and store CO₂ in geological formations. |
| WiredRE’s Power & Real Estate Partnership (PREP) | Nationwide program (U.S.) | Initiative to acquire or partner on power‑ready land for data‑center development; targets sites with ≥100 MW of available power. | Offers early cash flow for landowners and on‑site power options. | Program aims to deliver sites ready for construction within 18–24 months. | WiredRE previously acquired a 1 GW site near Dallas for Google and seeks additional partnerships. |
| DOE’s Savannah River Site AI data‑center RFP | Aiken County, SC | U.S. Department of Energy’s RFP solicits private partners to lease 250–450 acres of the Savannah River Site for a data‑center campus and on‑site energy generation. Existing infrastructure includes 115 kV transmission lines and a 20 MW biomass plant. | Investment to be proposed by bidders; successful developer will build new generation capacity. | Responses are due December 5 2025. | Part of federal AI‑infrastructure strategy. DOE requires bidders to secure new energy generation rather than rely solely on existing grid. |
| Meta’s “tent” data center at Gallatin campus | Gallatin, TN | Meta secured planning approval for a ~135,000 sq ft data‑center building housed in waterproof tent‑like structures on its existing Gallatin campus. The concept is to speed up AI compute deployment; earlier phases include a 982,500 sq ft facility and expansions totaling 627,000 sq ft. | Investment figures not disclosed. | Construction will begin soon; concept allows Meta to build facilities faster than traditional four‑year schedules. | The “tents” will house AI clusters while new concrete buildings are built in parallel. |
| 1,000‑acre Howell Township campus proposal | Howell Township, MI | Stantec Consulting Michigan and landowner Randee LLC requested rezoning of ~1,000 acres to host up to 10 single‑story data‑center buildings. End‑user described as an unnamed Fortune 100 technology company. | Investment not made public. | In late Sept 2025, the Howell Township Planning Commission recommended denying the rezoning; final decision pending with township board. | Local farmers and residents have organized a petition opposing the project due to environmental concerns. |
| Stream Data Centers – Dallas (Wilmer) facility | Wilmer, Dallas County, TX | Stream filed a TDLR application to build DFWC1, a two‑story, 360,750 sq ft data‑center building with a substation on a 140‑acre campus. The campus is designed to support 240 MW and 1.4 million sq ft at full build‑out with a 372 MW Oncor substation. | ~US$300 million for the initial 48 MW facility. | Construction planned April 2026 – Oct 2027. | Stream also operates multiple existing data centers in Dallas–Fort Worth and across several states. Separate TDLR filings show Evocative plans a $30 million upgrade of its Plano data center (DAL6) from Sept 2025 to Feb 2027. |
Key Takeaways and Observations
- Surge in largescale site proposals. In the first week of October there were multiple rezoning and annexation requests for 150–1,000‑acre sites (Georgia, Illinois, Texas, Minnesota, Michigan). Most involve long build‑out timelines and call for power capacities ranging from 200 MW to well over 1 GW. Local planning boards are exercising caution, often deferring decisions or recommending denials due to concerns about infrastructure, water and electricity demand or compatibility with existing zoning.
- Emerging “power‑ready land” strategies. WiredRE’s PREP program seeks to acquire land with immediate power availability, reflecting the industry’s shift toward accelerating build timelines and controlling energy costs. This program emphasizes partnerships that deliver ready‑to‑build sites within 18–24 months.
- Alternative power and sustainability approaches. Prometheus Hyperscale’s Casper campus aims for 1.5 GW of natural‑gas‑driven capacity while using carbon‑capture technology to claim carbon‑negative operations. The DOE’s Savannah River RFP calls for developers to generate their own power, reinforcing the link between data‑center construction and energy infrastructure.
- Rapid‑deployment formats. Meta’s use of “tents” at its Gallatin campus shows hyperscalers are experimenting with temporary, fabric‑clad structures to stand up AI clusters quickly while more permanent buildings are constructed.
- Ongoing community pushback. Several proposals face local opposition due to environmental concerns, water usage, and noise (GA, MI, PA, TX). Moratoriums and rezoning deferrals reflect this tension and may delay projects.