Work begins at site of hyperscale data center in Birmingham

Work has commenced on a new hyperscale data center, described as an "AI factory," in Birmingham, Alabama's Oxmoor Valley neighborhood. This development comes despite opposition from local residents. The Birmingham Business Journal reports that contractors have secured permits valued at over $800 million from the City of Birmingham for the project. The unnamed Swedish-based company behind the data center has stated that the site is properly zoned for the facility and possesses the necessary electrical infrastructure. Birmingham Mayor Woodfin addressed public concerns via social media, explaining why the project is moving forward despite a citywide moratorium on data centers. According to Mayor Woodfin, the project had already entered the permitting process before the moratorium was enacted. He emphasized that under state law, the city cannot retroactively halt projects already in the pipeline and reiterated that the site was already zoned for a data center.