$4B data center in Hancock County expected online in 2027
TeraWulf announced its $4 billion to $4.5 billion 'Justified Data Campus' in Hancock County, Kentucky, is expected to come online in late 2027, with tenant Anthropic investing an additional $10 billion. The project, located on a former Century Aluminum site in Hawesville, has faced community opposition and concerns regarding environmental impact and local costs. Hancock County officials are working with TeraWulf to ensure the county is protected and has requested a noise study.
Pace Ralli, Vice President of Project Development at TeraWulf Inc., announced at a Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce event that the company's $4 billion to $4.5 billion data center in Hancock County, Kentucky, is projected to begin operations in the second half of 2027 and be fully operational the following year. The facility, named the Justified Data Campus, is expected to create up to 100 permanent TeraWulf positions and 300 jobs from its tenant, AI giant Anthropic, which has a 20-year, $19 billion lease agreement and will invest an additional $10 billion in servers.
The project, located at the former Century Aluminum site in Hawesville, has generated controversy since its announcement, with residents raising concerns at Owensboro City Commission meetings. TeraWulf is demolishing the old plant and conducting $50 million in environmental remediation. Ralli highlighted the data center's closed-loop water cooling system, which reuses 400,000 gallons of water for 10 years and uses less water daily than the previous industrial occupant. He also claimed the facility produces no smoke, odors, wastewater, or industrial manufacturing emissions, although studies cited by Time magazine have shown data centers can impact air quality.
The data center will utilize 482 megawatts of power from existing infrastructure, supplied by Big Rivers Electric Corp. and Kenergy, an agreement approved by the Kentucky Public Service Commission. Hancock County Judge-Executive Johnny "Chic" Roberts affirmed the county's stance that TeraWulf is responsible for all infrastructure and new costs, without taxpayer subsidies. Roberts noted the county is conducting ongoing research, including requesting a noise study, to ensure local protection, stating that while the project had necessary planning and zoning, they are still doing their homework on this "new process."
Despite a national survey indicating significant public opposition to data centers, Ralli emphasized the rapid demand for AI technology as the driving force behind accelerated data center construction. TeraWulf is developing a second Kentucky data center in Grayson County, among five hyperscale projects nationwide.