Jefferson Lab Breaks Ground on New Building to Power Next Generation of Scientific Discovery
Jefferson Lab has broken ground on its new 30,000-square-foot Data Center (JLDC) in Newport News, Virginia. This facility will serve as the future home for the Department of Energy's High Performance Data Facility (HPDF), supporting advanced computing, AI, and data-intensive scientific research. The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by federal, state, and local leaders, highlighting a significant federal-state-local partnership and investment.
The U.S. Department of Energy's Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, or Jefferson Lab, officially broke ground on its new Data Center (JLDC) in Newport News, Virginia. The 30,000-square-foot facility will house the High Performance Data Facility (HPDF), a first-of-its-kind scientific user facility dedicated to advanced data analysis, networking, storage, and AI-enabled discovery.
Key figures attended the ceremony, including DOE Under Secretary for Science Darío Gil, Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger, U.S. Senator Mark Warner, U.S. Representatives Bobby Scott and Rob Wittman, and Newport News Mayor Phillip Jones. Gil emphasized the convergence of AI, advanced computing, and experimental facilities, stating that the HPDF will be crucial for making data, instruments, and computing accessible to researchers nationwide.
Laboratory Director Jens Dilling highlighted that the JLDC is purpose-built for scientific workloads, unlike commercial data centers, and will accelerate breakthroughs by harnessing data power. The project, awarded to Jefferson Lab in partnership with Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in October 2023, is a foundational component of the broader Genesis Mission, a government-wide effort led by DOE to advance AI for science and energy. The Commonwealth of Virginia contributed $43.3 million, with additional seed funding, demonstrating a strong federal-state-local partnership and commitment to advanced research infrastructure.