Status: Approved / Phase 1 Operation Start (March 2026) | Location: Wisconn Valley Science & Technology Park, Mount Pleasant
Unanimously approved on January 26, 2026, Project Aurora represents Microsoft’s large-scale strategic response to the accelerating global shortage of AI compute capacity. Developed on a 1,363-acre site originally earmarked for Foxconn, the project is structured into two major campuses: Campus One along Durand Avenue with nine buildings, and Campus Two on International Drive comprising six buildings. Together, these campuses form a hyperscale AI infrastructure cluster designed to rapidly expand Microsoft’s ability to deliver compute resources to key partners, including OpenAI, as well as enterprise cloud and AI customers.
At the core of the development is the flagship Fairwater facility, which became operational in early 2026 and is positioned as one of the most powerful AI data centers globally. It is equipped with hundreds of thousands of NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs (GB200/GB300), enabling unprecedented levels of performance for large-scale model training and inference. To address community concerns around energy consumption, Microsoft introduced its “Community-First AI Infrastructure” framework at this site, committing to ensure that the significant power requirements of the campus will not translate into higher residential electricity costs. This approach combines grid investments, efficiency measures, and local stakeholder engagement, setting a precedent for future AI megacampus developments.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Project Name | Project Aurora: $13B 15-Facility Microsoft AI Hub Wisconsin |
| Location | Wisconn Valley Science & Technology Park, Mount Pleasant |
| Status | Approved / Phase 1 Operation Start (March 2026) |
| Project Type | Gigawatt-Scale AI Supercluster & Training Hub |
| Commissioning | 🔒 Subscriber Intelligence |
| Total IT Load | 🔒 Subscriber Intelligence |
| Total Capacity | 🔒 Subscriber Intelligence |
| Tier Level | 🔒 Subscriber Intelligence |
| Header | Details |
|---|---|
| City Name | Mount Pleasant |
| Population | ~97,000 (Mount Pleasant, South Carolina) |
| Urban Agglomeration | ~850,000 (Charleston-North Charleston Metro Area) |
| Economic Profile | 🔒 Detailed city intelligence available to subscribers |
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