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Alabama Data Center Intel
Latest data center news, projects, power and policy across Alabama — updated daily.
Alabama · Construction & power moves · 1
full tracker →Land, power, and interconnection moves across Alabama — each traced to primary filings.
Recent Alabama data center news
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Land and Expand: NVIDIA, IREN, Coatue, Microsoft, Switch, Cerebras, Core Scientific
NVIDIA announced two major partnerships to accelerate industrial-scale AI infrastructure deployment with IREN and Corning Incorporated.
- Main announcement: NVIDIA partnered with IREN to target deployment of up to 5 gigawatts of NVIDIA DSX-aligned AI infrastructure (focus on IREN’s 2-gigawatt Sweetwater campus in Texas) and separately partnered with Corning Incorporated to expand U.S. optical connectivity manufacturing (10x optical connectivity capacity increase; >50% domestic fiber production increase; construction of three new advanced manufacturing facilities in North Carolina and Texas). The IREN deal includes a five-year right for IREN to sell NVIDIA up to 30 million ordinary shares at $70 per share (potential consideration up to $2.1 billion).
- Background and details: The article details additional industry moves into powered land, gigawatt campuses, crypto-to-AI conversions, and domestic supply-chain expansion, including Coatue/Next Frontier & Fluidstack’s 430 MW Indiana campus backed by $5.7 billion in senior secured notes (first 65 MW online by July 2027), Digi Power X’s 10-year MSA with Cerebras for a 40 MW Columbiana, AL campus (initial contract ~$1.1 billion, potential $2.5 billion, Phase 1 ready-for-service targeted Dec. 15, 2026), CloudBurst’s Texas campus ($14.5 billion investment; 1.2 GW planned), and Core Scientific’s acquisitions and campus expansions (e.g., $421 million cash acquisition of Polaris DS LLC; Muskogee and Pecos expansions to ~1.5 GW gross power).
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FPH2 Expands Renewable Hydrogen Supply Partnerships in California
FPH2 has announced it is widening its renewable hydrogen supply network across California to serve public fleets, data centers, transit agencies, ports, and other stationary power users.
- Main announcement:First Public Hydrogen Authority (FPH2) announced expanded renewable hydrogen supply partnerships across California, aggregating demand from member cities (Lancaster, Industry, Montebello, Shafter, Fresno) and locking long-term offtake agreements with electrolytic and biogenic hydrogen producers; target production is roughly 20,000 tons of clean hydrogen by mid-2025.
- Background and implementation details: The initiative uses two primary pathways—solar-powered electrolytic hydrogen (onsite solar + electrolyzers) and biogenic hydrogen (gasification/reforming of woody debris and ag residues); Elemental Clean Fuels has acquired land in Los Angeles County to build a solar-powered hydrogen plant that will supply data centers, microgrids, transit buses, and light-duty trucks. FPH2 is also pursuing pilot projects, grant-writing, fueling station rollouts, technical studies, and training, with phased supply and delivery via the long-term offtake structure.
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Small modular reactors and microreactors under development in the United States
The U.S. Department of Energy announced renewed support for SMR development, including a $900 million funding tender and selection of vendors for the Energy Reactor Pilot Program.
- DOE actions: In March 2025 DOE reissued a tender for $900 million to promote SMR development and in June 2025 announced the Energy Reactor Pilot Program, selecting vendors (Aalo Atomics Inc.; Antares Nuclear, Inc.; Deep Fission Inc.; Last Energy Inc.; Oklo Inc.; Natura Resources LLC; Radiant Industries Inc.; Terrestrial Energy Inc.; Valar Atomics Inc.). Applicants are responsible for funding individual pilot reactor designs while the program aims to fast-track licensing and attract private funding.
- Defense and implementation details: The Defense Innovation Unit and military services are advancing microreactor adoption: the Army launched the Janus Program (sites shortlisted at nine bases) and the Air Force plans a commercial microreactor at Eielson Air Force Base with Oklo, Inc. supplying a sodium-cooled Aurora design targeting 1 MW to 5 MW by 2027; the Department of the Navy is soliciting offers for on-site SMRs and microreactors.
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Kairos breaks ground on Hermes 2
The US-based Kairos Power has broken ground on the Hermes 2 Demonstration Plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
Groundbreaking announced and project scope: Kairos Power announced the Hermes 2 groundbreaking; Hermes 2 is a two-unit demonstration plant (35MWt each) that will supply up to 50MW-electrical to the TVA grid under Kairos Power’s deal with Google. The NRC issued a construction permit for Hermes 2 in November 2024, and Hermes 1 (non-power 35MWt test reactor) had first concrete poured in May 2025. This announcement is a new, on-site groundbreaking event and confirms ongoing construction activity at the Oak Ridge demonstration campus.
Construction, fabrication and timeline details:Barnard Construction Company is the general contractor; reactor equipment modules will be fabricated at Kairos Power’s Manufacturing Development Campus in Albuquerque and shipped to Oak Ridge. Hermes 2 will use modular construction (precast concrete) and a seismically isolated foundation, will be built on the former K-33 site (land acquired in 2021), and is the immediate precursor to planned 188MWt commercial plants starting in 2030. ETU testing milestones: ETU 1.0 molten salt testing in Albuquerque; ETU 2.0 installed in 2025; ETU 3.0 installed in Oak Ridge in July 2025.
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Kairos Power Breaks Ground On Hermes 2 Demonstration Plant In Tennessee
Kairos Power has broken ground on its Hermes 2 Demonstration Plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.
- Main announcement: Kairos Power has started construction on Hermes 2, its first commercial-scale fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature reactor (KP-FHR) and the first Generation IV reactor to receive a US NRC construction permit; the plant is intended to supply up to 50 MW of electricity to the TVA grid to help decarbonise Google data centres in Tennessee and Alabama.
- Background and details: Hermes 2 follows the Hermes Low-Power Demonstration Reactor (Hermes 1), for which nuclear construction began at the same site last year; the project builds on Triso fuel and Flibe molten fluoride salt coolant technologies, and is positioned to advance technology, licensing, supply chain, and construction certainty for future Kairos deployments.
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Prichard Mayor says she talked to potential new developer about noise, traffic, and environmental impact concerns
Prichard Mayor Carletta Davis said she met with Edged Energy to review a proposed data center development in the City of Prichard.
- Main announcement: The City hosted a Community Meeting (April 7, 2026) where Edged Energy introduced plans for a proposed data center representing an estimated $93 million investment, potentially bringing approximately 20 jobs with salaries exceeding $70,000 per year; the Mayor emphasized careful evaluation balancing community impact, economic opportunity, and long-term sustainability.
- Background and details: Meeting attendees discussed noise, traffic, and environmental impact (especially water usage); Edged Energy said facilities are designed to operate quietly (“comparable to a normal conversation”), are typically sited in industrial areas, use advanced technology to reduce strain on local resources, and committed to transparency and ongoing community engagement.
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Energy Officials Pressured to Expand Grid as AI Demand Surges
The U.S. Department of Energy, through Energy Secretary Chris Wright, told the House Energy and Commerce Committee on April 16, 2026 that surging demand from AI and data centers requires rapid expansion of generation and grid capacity.
- DOE exploring federal land and existing sites to accelerate deployment of data centers alongside new power generation, citing evaluation of a former federal site in Portsmouth, Ohio; goal is to expand supply while shielding local consumers from price increases (testimony given April 16, 2026 before the House Energy and Commerce Committee).
- DOE says renewables alone are insufficient for sustained AI growth; advocates permitting reforms to speed construction of generation and transmission, highlights “dispatchable” sources like nuclear as “crucial”, and identifies cybersecurity as a “major” issue while citing partnerships under the Genesis Mission with national laboratories, universities, and private industry.
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5 surprising ways homeowners are fighting back against local polluters
Multiple U.S. residents and community groups have launched legal actions and local opposition against polluters and data-center projects.
- Class action & insurance impacts:Two homeowners in Washington state filed a class action lawsuit against Big Oil companies alleging decades of deception about fossil fuels and climate harms; the suit covers homeowners nationwide who purchased insurance after 2017 or plan to, and the article notes home insurance premiums in Washington rose more than 50% since 2019.
- Local actions and project specifics:Dr. Tim Grosser (Kentucky) refused to sell land to “one of the largest AI companies in the world” for a data center; xAI’s Memphis facility reportedly consumes enough energy to power 100,000 homes and its methane turbines have increased smog by up to 60%; a limestone quarry in northern Alabama was ordered to temporarily cease operations over dust, light, and noise complaints; Zero Waste Ithaca (organized by Yayoi Koizumi) pursues local sustainability and has used the court system in some cases.
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Opinion | UA must consider the environmental impact of its upcoming data center
The University of Alabama plans to open a High Performance Computing and Data Center adjacent to the College of Nursing that is expected to be operational in early 2027.
- Project details: The planned facility is described as a High Performance Computing and Data Center located adjacent to the College of Nursing, targeted to be operational in early 2027, and reported in the article as a 14.6 megawatt data center (equated in the article to the energy use of ~12,000 households compared with the Tuscaloosa community size of ~40,000 households).
- Background and environmental context: The article cites water use estimates (a mid-sized data center can consume ~300,000 gallons per day) and regional stress (over 60% of Tuscaloosa County in drought), national energy impacts (data centers currently use ~4% of the U.S. power grid, with NEA projecting 7–12% by 2028), and carbon projections (Cornell researchers predict AI centers could contribute “24 to 44 million metric tons” CO2 annually by 2030). It also notes the University’s coordination or reported partnership “in close partnership” with Alabama Power through Gov. Kay Ivey’s AI task force.
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Climate Change Solutions - March 24, 2026
EESI published its “Climate Change Solutions” newsletter summarizing recent analysis, events, and legislative activity related to energy grid upgrades, data center impacts, and climate information integrity.
- Main announcement: EESI highlights solutions including reconductoring to expand U.S. grid capacity, coverage of data center noise and water use issues, and a podcast on climate data integrity; the newsletter also notes EESI hosted a Rapid Readout on the repeal of the EPA’s 2009 Endangerment Finding (readout available via EESI).
- Additional details and timeline: Congressional actions noted include passage/introduction of bills: H.R.2709 (Save Our Sequoias Act) passed House, H.R.528 (Post-Disaster Reforestation and Restoration Act of 2025) passed House, reintroduction of S.4096 / H.R.7921 (Rural Decentralized Water Systems Reauthorization Act), and introduction of H.R.7977 (Energy Bills Relief Act). Upcoming EESI events: Tracking Down Data on April 23, Water Infrastructure briefing on May 7, and EXPO 2026 on June 24.