AWS Potomac Church Tech Center: 128MW Hyperscale Campus in Virginia
Status: Active Development / Under Construction | Location: 123 Old Potomac Church Rd, Stafford, VA 22554, USA
Project Overview
Amazon AWS IAD – Potomac Church Tech Center is a flagship hyperscale data center campus representing an investment of more than $1 billion, strategically located on a 50-acre site along Old Potomac Church Road in Stafford County, Virginia. Developed to expand Amazon Web Services' industry-leading US East (Northern Virginia / us-east-1) cloud region, the campus serves as a critical component of one of the world's largest and most interconnected cloud infrastructure ecosystems. The development comprises two state-of-the-art, two-story data center buildings, designated IAD-350 and IAD-351, each spanning approximately 255,000 square feet and providing 64 MW of critical IT power capacity, for a combined campus capacity of 128 MW. Purpose-built to support hyperscale cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI), high-performance computing (HPC), machine learning, enterprise applications, storage, analytics, and government workloads, the facilities are engineered to accommodate high-density server deployments and next-generation GPU infrastructure. The campus is supplied by dedicated high-voltage utility substations designed to deliver resilient, scalable, and redundant electrical power capable of supporting continuous mission-critical operations. To enhance sustainability and operational efficiency, the facilities incorporate advanced zero-water evaporative dry cooling technologies that significantly reduce freshwater consumption while maintaining reliable thermal performance across varying seasonal conditions. The campus also benefits from direct dark fiber connectivity to Northern Virginia's primary internet exchange corridors, providing ultra-low-latency access to AWS availability zones, cloud services, telecommunications carriers, internet exchanges, enterprise networks, and global digital ecosystems. Additional infrastructure includes redundant electrical and mechanical systems, uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems, backup generation, advanced environmental monitoring, and enterprise-grade physical security to ensure maximum availability and operational resilience. As part of AWS's long-term commitment to renewable energy and sustainable digital infrastructure, Amazon AWS IAD – Potomac Church Tech Center delivers a secure, scalable, energy-efficient, and future-ready platform supporting the continued expansion of cloud computing, AI innovation, and mission-critical digital services across North America and global markets.
Quick Facts
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Project Name | AWS Potomac Church Tech Center: 128MW Hyperscale Campus in Virginia |
| Location | 123 Old Potomac Church Rd, Stafford, VA 22554, USA |
| Status | Active Development / Under Construction |
| Commissioning | Phase 1 Go-Live: 2026 (IAD-350) / Phase 2 Target: 2027 (IAD-351) |
| Total IT Load | 128 MW Critical IT Power Capacity Allocation (64 MW per building) |
| Total Capacity | 128 MW IT Load across 2 two-story buildings totaling ~510,000 sq ft (~47,380 m²) on a ~50-acre site |
| Tier Level | Tier III Equivalent Hyper-Resilient Design / ISO 27001, ISO 22301, ISO 9001, SOC 1, SOC 2, SOC 3, PCI-DSS Compliant |
| Project Type | Purpose-Built Owner-Occupied Hyperscale Cloud Availability Zone & AI Infrastructure Campus |
City Profile
| Header | Details |
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| City Name | Virginia |
| Population | ≈ 1.77 million |
| Urban Agglomeration | ≈ 1.05 million (Charleston–Huntington–Parkersburg combined urban influence) |
| City GDP | ≈ USD 95–100 billion |
| Per Capita Income | ≈ USD 52,000 |
| City Tier | Tier-2 (Emerging / Strategic State Economy) |
| Key Strengths | Strategic East Coast proximity (close to DC, Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania) |
Companies Involved
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Developer / Operator | Amazon Web Services |
| Strategic Infrastructure Partner | Dominion Energy Utility Network & Stafford County Municipal Authorities |
| Construction Contractor | Specialized US Mission-Critical General EPC Contractors |
| MEP Engineering | AWS In-House Infrastructure & Global Data Center Engineering Teams |
| Network Connectivity | Private enterprise dark fiber optical backbone; subterranean path-diverse fiber entrance vaults; redundant Meet-Me-Rooms (MMRs); direct ultra-low latency interconnection to Northern Virginia carrier hubs (Ashburn / Manassas / Culpeper). |
| Power Infrastructure | Dual path high-voltage utility grid substations on-site, static distributed 2N / Block Redundant uninterruptible power supply (UPS) modules, automated switchgear, and multi-megawatt standby emergency diesel generator arrays with multi-day on-site fuel autonomy. |
Technical Specifications
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Power Capacity | 128 MW Secured Utility Power Allocation (64 MW per building) |
| UPS Redundancy | Block Redundant / 2N Static UPS Architecture |
| Cooling System | Closed-loop zero-water evaporative dry-cooling architecture, Direct-to-Chip Liquid Cooling (DLC) readiness for high-density AI clusters, and automated BMS environmental controls. |
| Connectivity | Proprietary low-latency global fiber mesh network connecting directly to regional AWS Direct Connect locations and US cloud regions. |
| PUE Target | < 1.18 Annualized Operational Design PUE |
| Energy Mix | 100% Carbon-Free Renewable Energy backed by Amazon regional solar and wind Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) in PJM Interconnection. |
Milestones
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Announcement | 2023–2024 |
| Construction Start | 2024–2025 |
| Phase 1 Go-Live | Operational / Go-Live Target: 2026 (IAD-350) |
| Full Buildout | Active Multi-Building Campus Development (IAD-351 Target 2027) |
Investment Details
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Total Investment | Estimated $1,000,000,000+ USD Total Campus Capital Expenditure |
| Funding | Corporate Capital Expenditure (Amazon.com, Inc.) |