AWS Mattermeade Pennsylvania: $20B 1.9GW Nuclear AI Data Center

Status: Permitting / Site Preparation (March 2026)   |   Location: Salem Township (Luzerne) & Falls Township (Bucks), PA

Project Overview

Project Mattermeade is the largest private-sector investment in Pennsylvania's history. Announced in mid-2025 and moving into active permitting as of March 2026, the project centers on a landmark deal where AWS acquired a 1,200-acre campus adjacent to the Susquehanna Steam Electric Station. AWS will pay an estimated $18 billion to Talen Energy to supply up to 960MW of "behind-the-meter" nuclear power initially, scaling to 1.9GW. This allows AWS to bypass the PJM interconnection queue entirely. However, as of March 13, 2026, the project faces significant legislative headwinds. State Senator Katie Muth has proposed a three-year moratorium on hyperscale data centers to study their impact on the grid. Simultaneously, competing utilities have filed protests with FERC, arguing that AWS’s direct connection to the nuclear plant shifts $140 million in transmission costs onto average Pennsylvania ratepayers. Despite this, Governor Josh Shapiro has placed the project on a "fast track" permitting status to ensure the "future of AI runs through Pennsylvania."

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