{"slug": "new-data-center-developments-august-2026", "title": "New Data Center Developments: August 2026", "summary": "Meta announced plans for a 1 GW AI data center in Sturgeon County, Alberta, Canada, representing a $9 billion investment and expected to employ 3,000 construction workers at peak and 300 permanent staff. The company also expanded its Hyperion campus in Louisiana into a 5 GW AI supercluster, while Amazon raised its AI infrastructure spending to $220 billion, and OpenAI's Project Camellia in Georgia was revealed to have a 3,200 MW commitment with Georgia Power.", "body_md": "# New Data Center Developments: August 2026\n\nWe look at some of the latest data center developments announced over the past month.\n\nThe demand for new data centers isn’t showing any sign of slowing. With new projects announced each week, keeping track of the latest data center developments can be difficult.\n\nTo keep you informed about the latest data center news involving design, [construction](/build-design/data-center-construction), and related developments, we are bringing you the highlights from the past month.\n\nThis curated selection will help you stay on top of the latest data center development news with ease.\n\nA rendering of Meta’s planned 1 GW AI data center in Alberta, Canada. (Image: Meta)\n\n## North American Data Center Deals\n\nAmid reports that the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure is making data centers one of the [most capacity-constrained sectors in construction](/data-center-construction/ai-data-center-boom-strains-global-construction-capacity), new developments continue to surge this month\n\nIn hyperscaler news, Meta is [expanding its Hyperion campus](/data-center-construction/meta-s-5-gw-hyperion-campus-signals-ai-s-shift-into-utility-territory) in northeast Louisiana into what it calls a 5 GW AI supercluster, a scale that analysts and utility planners say pushes the project beyond a conventional hyperscale data center and into infrastructure capable of shaping regional power systems.\n\nNorth of the border, Meta’s [first Canadian data center](/data-center-construction/meta-s-first-canadian-ai-campus-was-planned-around-the-grid) will rise in Sturgeon County, Alberta, marking a more than $9 billion investment in a 1 GW AI campus expected to employ roughly 3,000 construction workers at peak and more than 300 permanent employees once operational.\n\nThe news came as several of the world’s biggest hyperscale operators used their second-quarter earnings to signal a [turning point in the AI infrastructure race](/data-center-construction/hyperscalers-say-ai-race-has-entered-a-new-phase). Rather than competing on how much they plan to spend, Microsoft, Alphabet, and Meta focused on how quickly they could energize campuses, deploy networking at scale, secure power, and convert new infrastructure into revenue-generating compute.\n\nFor its part, Amazon [said](/infrastructure/amazon-lifts-ai-infrastructure-spending-to-220b-as-demand-outpaces-capacity) it will spend even more on AI infrastructure this year – and still won’t have enough capacity to satisfy customer demand. The company’s Q2 results were published amid [reports](https://whartonpost.com/2026/06/25/amazon-data-center-boling/) that AWS was planning to build a four-building data center campus, “Project Eagle,” in Wharton County, Texas.\n\nOpenAI has announced Project Camellia, a long-term data center project in Effingham County, Georgia. Digging into the filings, Data Center Knowledge uncovered that, months before OpenAI publicly announced its campus, Georgia Power had [already documented a 3,200 MW customer commitment](/data-center-construction/openai-s-project-camellia-was-on-georgia-power-s-radar-months-before-its-debut) and was reviewing an anonymized 3,210 MW project with a matching development timeline.\n\nIron Mountain has broken ground on [RCH-1](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/iron-mountain-data-centers_we-are-excited-to-share-that-we-have-officially-activity-7485984637605851136-FAoY/), a 48 MW facility on its 66-acre Richmond Data Center Campus in White Oak Technology Park, Virginia.\n\nBrookfield and NextEra Energy [plan to transform](/data-center-construction/brookfield-nextera-launch-100b-ai-campus-at-doe-s-paducah-site) part of the US Department of Energy’s former Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Kentucky into one of the nation’s largest AI data center campuses, targeting more than 1.2 GW of compute capacity and dedicated on-site power generation built specifically for the project.\n\nIn Texas, Galaxy Digital [has acquired](/data-center-construction/galaxy-s-500-acre-texas-ai-campus-reflects-new-grid-model) 500 acres in McGregor, around 90 miles north of Austin, where it plans to develop an AI and high-performance computing campus. The initiative, known as “Project Merlin,” is expected to reach 74 MW in its first phase.\n\nCyrusOne is [reportedly](https://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/news/2026/07/22/cyrusone-castroville-data-center.html) pursuing the construction of a 460,000-square-foot data center in Medina County, Texas. The project represents an investment of $500 million.\n\nIn other news, Data Center Knowledge writer Shane Snider took a [closer look](/data-center-site-selection/can-transparency-become-an-ai-data-center-advantage-) at how a proposed AI data center in Ohio is testing whether early community engagement, developer-funded infrastructure, and public disclosure can become part of the permitting playbook.\n\nIn addition to new developments, various states have been tightening regulations and imposing restrictions on data center operations:\n\nNew York: A new executive order\n\n[pauses certain permits for new data centers](/data-center-construction/new-york-data-center-moratorium-state-pauses-projects-over-50-mw)above 50 MW as New York develops rules for grid costs, water use, and host communities.Texas: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ordered a\n\n[statewide audit of data center projects](/energy-power-supply/texas-orders-statewide-audit-of-ai-data-center-projects-in-ercot-queue)in ERCOT’s interconnection queue.North Carolina: State lawmakers\n\n[repealed the sales tax exemption](/regulations/nc-ends-data-center-power-tax-break-keeps-capital-incentives)on data center electricity while preserving equipment incentives as AI power demand reshapes policy.Nebraska: Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen has signed an executive order blocking new data center projects from receiving tax incentives under the\n\n[ImagiNE Nebraska Act](https://revenue.nebraska.gov/incentives/imagine-nebraska-act).\n\nMore [North American](/keyword/north-america) data center news:\n\nGoogle has been\n\n[revealed](https://cowboystatedaily.com/2026/07/08/google-revealed-as-owner-of-wyomings-largest-data-center-now-project-tembo/)as the company behind Project Tembo, Wyoming’s largest data center, a 2.7-gigawatt facility in Cheyenne, solidifying the region's status as an emerging tech hub.Core Scientific has\n\n[doubled its leased AI data center capacity](/deals/core-scientific-doubles-ai-capacity-to-1-1-gw-in-14b-amd-deal)to approximately 1.1 GW after signing a 15-year infrastructure agreement with AMD.DeepInfra has\n\n[launched](https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/07/08/3324125/0/en/deepinfra-expands-ai-inference-capacity-with-first-international-data-center-in-toronto.html)its first international data center in Toronto. The 1.7 MW facility is equipped with over 1,000 Nvidia Blackwell B300 GPUs.\n\n## Latin American Data Center Developments\n\nElea Data Centers, in partnership with AXIA Energia, will launch the Amazon region’s [first AI-neutral data center](https://eleadatacenters.com/en/2026/06/26/elea-announces-the-amazon-regions-first-ai-data-center-with-power-infrastructure-from-axia-energia/) in Belém, Brazil, powered entirely by renewable energy, with operations set to begin in Q2 2027 with an initial capacity of 7.5 MW.\n\nByteDance has [reportedly](https://w.media/bytedance-begins-construction-of-us-38-44-billion-data-center-in-brazil/) begun constructing a $38.4 billion data center at the Pecém port complex in Ceará, Brazil, with an initial capacity of 200 MW, potentially expanding to nearly 1 GW, making it the company's largest facility outside China.\n\nUK Prime Minister Andy Burnham appears to favor homegrown AI, but planning disputes and data center moratoriums could cause early friction. (Getty Images)\n\n## European Data Center Developments\n\nIn [Europe](https://datacenterknowledge.com/keyword/europe), Pure Data Centres Group has [launched](https://puredc.com/2026/07/14/pure-dc-launches-one-of-europes-largest-ever-ai-infrastructure-projects) one of Finland’s largest investment projects and the largest ever by a UK company. Phase 1 involves a €1.5 billion ($1.7 billion) investment in a 110 MW AI campus in Seinäjoki, with potential expansion to a €7.5 billion ($8.6 billion), 550 MW+ campus.\n\nFinland is becoming one of Europe’s fastest-growing data center markets, fueled by surging AI demand, abundant renewable energy, and supportive policies. With all eyes on the nation, Data Center Knowledge writer Nathan Eddy [explores](/data-center-site-selection/finland-s-data-center-boom-is-just-getting-started) how Finland’s unique advantages – including its cool climate, tax incentives, and innovative approaches to sustainability – are attracting hyperscalers and AI developers.\n\nElsewhere in Scandinavia, Microsoft has [reportedly](https://e24.no/naeringsliv/i/q6mgjL/microsoft-har-kjoept-datasentertomt-i-sandnes) purchased a 64-acre plot in Sandnes, Norway, to build a 25 MW data center, marking its involvement in long-standing plans for the site.\n\nNscale and Nordkraft have [launched](https://www.nscale.com/press-releases/nordscale) Nordscale Operations, a jointly-owned company to manage data center operations in Narvik, Norway. Nordscale will create local jobs and career opportunities while combining Nscale's global AI infrastructure expertise with Nordkraft's regional knowledge.\n\nThe UK’s new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, is stepping into office with a focus on homegrown AI and digital innovation, but his leadership could face early challenges in balancing regional autonomy with national priorities. We [took a closer look](/regulations/what-britain-s-next-prime-minister-could-mean-for-uk-data-centers) at how Burnham’s track record in Greater Manchester, his stance on planning reforms, and the potential for friction with Scotland’s data center moratorium could shape the future of the UK’s AI and data center industries.\n\nA [proposal](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cpv3xremevlo) suggests transforming Microsoft’s “underused” UK headquarters at Thames Valley Park near Reading, UK, into a major gas-powered data center to address declining demand for office space and support nearby businesses.\n\nNebius Group has [launched](https://nebius.com/newsroom/nebius-group-to-build-leading-european-ai-infrastructure-company) as a European AI infrastructure company aiming to address the global AI industry’s infrastructure deficit. Headquartered in Amsterdam, with R&D and commercial hubs in Europe, the US, and Israel, the company focuses on building full-stack AI-centric cloud platforms, including large-scale GPU clusters and tools for AI developers.\n\nA €3 billion ($3.4 billion) AI campus in central Spain, proposed by EdgeMode, BlackBerry AIF, and the town of Mora, is progressing through regional permitting with a focus on addressing power constraints rather than waiting for grid upgrades.\n\nThe DC MALPICA AI project includes [plans for a 300 MW campus](/data-center-construction/spain-s-3-4b-ai-campus-bets-on-on-site-power) with two 150,000-square-meter AI data centers and aims to secure Priority Project status from the Castilla-La Mancha regional government to expedite approvals for this strategically significant investment.\n\nA rendering of Samsung Heavy Industries’ floating data center concept, unveiled at the Posidonia 2026 exhibition in June. (Image: SHI)\n\n## Asia-Pacific Data Centers Builds\n\nIn [Asia-Pacific](/keyword/asia-pacific) data center news, Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) has [signed an engineering agreement](/next-gen-data-centers/samsung-takes-floating-data-center-plans-into-engineering-phase) with Mousterian Corporation, a Texas-based infrastructure developer, advancing SHI’s plan to deliver factory-built floating data centers for AI workloads.\n\nSHI said the strategic cooperation will see the companies jointly complete the basic and production engineering work for purpose-built, moored floating data center units. Each unit will provide 50 MW of critical IT capacity, with initial deployments planned in Texas and other US markets, according to SHI.\n\nAWS is [expanding its data center operations in Hyderabad](https://www.aboutamazon.in/news/aws/aws-data-centre-hyderabad) as part of its $48 billion investment in India, with $21 billion allocated to cloud and AI infrastructure from 2026 to 2030. The initiative aims to support India’s digital growth and includes local workforce development through training programs.\n\nDigitalBridge Group and Japan Extensive Infrastructure have [formed](https://www.digitalbridge.com/news/2026-07-01-digitalbridge-and-jexi-announce-formation-of-nippon-gateway-infrastructure-a-new-data-center-platform-in-japan) Nippon Gateway Infrastructure (NGI), a new colocation data center platform in Japan, launching with assets acquired from NEC Corporation, which will remain a strategic customer.\n\nDayOne is [partnering](https://firmus.co/newsroom/firmus-secures-600-mw-energy-supply-agreement-in-south-australia-linked-to-1-2-gw-of-new-renewable-generation-and-battery-storage) with Australia’s Firmus Technologies to develop a 360 MW data center campus on Indonesia’s Batam island, near Singapore, as part of one of Asia-Pacific’s largest planned AI infrastructure projects.\n\nFirmus also [announced](https://firmus.co/newsroom/firmus-secures-600-mw-energy-supply-agreement-in-south-australia-linked-to-1-2-gw-of-new-renewable-generation-and-battery-storage) a 12-year wholesale energy supply agreement with Gunvor Group for 600 MW of electricity to support the next phase of Project Southgate, its strategy to develop large-scale AI Factory campuses across regional Australia.\n\nMore Asia-Pacific data center news this month:\n\nNFD Korea is\n\n[developing](http://datacenters.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/ai-compute-infrastructure/nfd-korea-plans-300-mw-ai-data-center-campus-in-south-korea/132277224)a 300 MW campus in Dangjin, South Korea.Japanese real estate developer Mitsubishi Estate plans to invest around $9.3 billion to construct new data centers with a combined capacity of 2.5 GW, according to local reports.\n\nMacquarie Data Centres is\n\n[planning](https://www.afr.com/companies/infrastructure/macquarie-technology-secures-land-for-3b-sydney-data-centre-20260714-p60f60)a 3400-square-meter, 200 MW campus in Sydney, Australia.\n\n## Middle East and Africa Data Center Investments\n\nUS neocloud provider Crusoe has leased an [additional 100 MW of data center space](https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-crusoe-to-invest-10b-in-data-centers-in-israel-1001547215) at three sites across Israel, bringing its total investments in the country to $10 billion over 10-15 years. According to Globes, Crusoe's agreements include expansions with Anan Group and MegaDC.\n\nThe Egyptian government is [understood](https://techafricanews.com/2026/06/16/egypt-approves-400-million-data-center-project-to-boost-cloud-infrastructure/) to have granted a license to Hassan Allam Digital Infrastructure to establish and operate data centers and provide cloud computing services. The company plans to invest an initial $400 million in the first phase of a data center project to serve the government, financial, and business sectors while meeting international standards.\n\nRenewable energy firm Daystar Power has reached nearly [7 MW of installed solar capacity](https://daystar-power.com/en/news-article?post_id=322996) across four Nestlé facilities in West Africa. The four sites, two in Abidjan, one in Tema, and one in Dakar, are all fully operational, with each system designed around the specific grid and operational profile of its location.\n\nThe US is expanding its tech presence in Côte d’Ivoire with Cybastion receiving authorization for a $170 million project to build a sovereign national data center, a government digitization platform, and a smart border surveillance system.", "url": "https://wpnews.pro/news/new-data-center-developments-august-2026", "canonical_source": "https://www.datacenterknowledge.com/data-center-construction/new-data-center-developments-august-2026", "published_at": "2026-08-04 18:42:46+00:00", "updated_at": "2026-08-04 19:38:29.073461+00:00", "lang": "en", "topics": ["ai-infrastructure", "ai-policy"], "entities": ["Meta", "Amazon", "OpenAI", "Georgia Power", "Iron Mountain", "Brookfield", "NextEra Energy", "Galaxy Digital"], "alternates": {"html": "https://wpnews.pro/news/new-data-center-developments-august-2026", "markdown": "https://wpnews.pro/news/new-data-center-developments-august-2026.md", "text": "https://wpnews.pro/news/new-data-center-developments-august-2026.txt", "jsonld": "https://wpnews.pro/news/new-data-center-developments-august-2026.jsonld"}}