Developers tout impacts of 3 data center campuses; Zoning meeting set for Wednesday on 4-3 Glenbrook Group project

Salem Township in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, is experiencing a surge in data center development, with three major campuses poised to transform the region with multi-billion dollar investments and thousands of new jobs. The local government is actively involved, with the Salem Township Planning Commission having recommended an expansion of the data center overlay zone, a proposal now awaiting a final decision from the Salem Township Board of Supervisors this Wednesday.

Amazon, operating as Amazon Web Services (AWS), is developing a massive, multi-billion dollar AI and cloud computing campus on a 1,200-acre site adjacent to the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station. This initiative began with the $650 million acquisition of the Cumulus Data center campus from Talen Energy in March 2024. Governor Josh Shapiro announced in June 2025 that Amazon would expand this into a broader $20 billion statewide investment. The campus is anticipated to host up to 20 data centers, create approximately 1,000 permanent high-skilled tech jobs, and utilize clean energy from the nuclear power plant.

Separately, QTS Data Centers, backed by Blackstone, is developing a 1,700-acre campus through land aggregation by 4-3 Consulting LLC. This project, known as "Salem 2," involved 96 local landowners selling property for over $500 million, targeting a site near the nuclear plant. Slated for construction beginning in late 2026, the 12-building campus will use closed-loop cooling systems to minimize water usage. Additionally, the 4-3 Glennbrook Group announced a $1.2 billion land deal for the "Salem 3 Data Center Campus," encompassing over 4,000 acres from more than 200 landowners. This proposed infrastructure includes a 39-building campus, an on-site power generation plant, and a closed-loop water system, with an estimated 3.5 to 4 gigawatts of power capacity and 80% of the land designated for green space.

Jack Sordoni, leading 4-3 Consulting and 4-3 Glennbrook Group, emphasized the significant economic benefits already observed from the QTS project, noting that land-sale proceeds were widely distributed among local families, fostering investment in homes, businesses, and education within Northeast Pennsylvania. He anticipates that the Salem 3 project will double this impact, generating additional work for construction companies, skilled trades, and professional services, leading to an estimated $12 billion in new annual Pennsylvania economic output by 2036.