9.6 GW Nuclear-Powered Campus Proposed as U.S. Data Center Developers Face New Power Challenges
Data Center KPIs as of November 2, 2026
Aterio Logo
Aterio's October update tracks nuclear-backed proposals, construction progress, and transmission delays across major U.S. data center projects.
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA, November 10, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Aterio, a provider of continuously updated U.S. data center intelligence, released its November 2026 US Datacenter Monthly industry update. The report summarizes major developments observed during October 2026, including nuclear-powered campus proposals, construction milestones, utility infrastructure approvals, and project delays.
Aterio publishes monthly industry updates based on its daily-updated subscription dataset, which tracks active, under-construction, and announced data center projects across the United States.
OCTOBER 2026 DATA CENTER OVERVIEW
October saw continued expansion in large-scale data center planning, with major projects advancing in Texas, Utah, Wisconsin, Kansas, Missouri, and Colorado.
Power availability remained central to development plans. Several campuses are pursuing nuclear or on-site natural gas generation, while others depend on new transmission infrastructure. Satellite imagery also confirmed construction progress at multiple sites, highlighting differences between announced capacity and actual development.
LARGE-SCALE CAMPUS DEVELOPMENT
Valar Atomics Proposes 9.6 GW Nuclear-Powered Project Beehive (UT): Valar Atomics is planning Project Beehive near Wellington, Utah, across more than 9,000 acres of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land. The proposal includes approximately 9.6 GW of on-site nuclear generation. The application remains under BLM review, with construction potentially beginning in late 2026 and full buildout targeted for 2032.
QTS Plans 1.2 GW Caprock Campus in Midland (TX): Air permit filings indicate QTS Data Centers is planning four 300 MW data center buildings totaling approximately 1.2 GW. The campus would use on-site natural gas generation, with phased activation targeted between late 2029 and September 2030.
Aerotropolis Proposes 11-Building Campus in Aurora (CO): Aerotropolis Industrial Development, LLC submitted a site plan for approximately 2.83 million square feet of data center development across 11 buildings. No end user has been disclosed.
Amazon Explores Second Campus Near Danville (MO): Amazon is exploring a 15-building data center campus across approximately 890 acres in Montgomery County, Missouri. The proposed development remains in early planning, with land acquisition pending.
CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS AND CAMPUS EXPANSION
Microsoft Revises Wisconsin 2 Campus to Seven Buildings (WI): Microsoft's Mount Pleasant campus has been revised from nine to seven planned buildings, with three under construction. Aterio satellite imagery confirms vertical construction on Building 1 and foundation work and grading on Buildings 2 and 3.
xAI Begins Grading Second 500 MW Building in Brownsville (TX): Satellite imagery confirms grading and leveling at the second 500 MW building of xAI's planned 1 GW campus. Structural construction and roof installation are underway on Building 1, with activation targeted for Q2 2028.
Soluna Begins Project Dorothy 3A Construction (TX): Aterio satellite imagery confirms construction at Project Dorothy 3A in Whitney, Texas, a joint venture between Soluna and Applied Digital, which holds 51% ownership. Phase 1 includes approximately 75 MW gross capacity and 50 MW of critical IT load across a 397-acre site. ChronoScale is the intended tenant, with GPU deliveries expected in February–March 2027. The broader campus is marketed at up to 300 MW.
Digital Realty Advances 600 MW Astra North Campus (KS): Aterio satellite imagery confirms grading at Digital Realty's 281-acre first phase in De Soto, Kansas. Building 1 (105 MW) is approved, with completion targeted for April 2029. Building 2 (495 MW) remains under site plan review. Evergy power service is targeted for September 2028, ramping to 600 MW by 2031. The broader 1,440-acre development targets 2 GW.
These satellite observations provide evidence of data center construction activity beyond public announcements and permitting milestones.
POWER INFRASTRUCTURE AND REGULATORY APPROVALS
ERCOT Recommends Conditional Approval for AWS Campus at Comanche Peak (TX): ERCOT recommended conditional Public Utility Commission approval for a net metering arrangement connecting Amazon's proposed 1,200 MW AWS campus in Somervell County with the 2,400 MW Comanche Peak nuclear plant. Proposed energization begins at 100 MW in Q4 2027, reaches 800 MW by Q4 2029, and scales to 1,200 MW by Q4 2031.
The QTS, Valar Atomics, and AWS proposals illustrate different approaches to on-site power generation and dedicated electricity supply for large data center campuses.
PROJECT STATUS AND EXECUTION RISKS
Oracle's 1.3 GW Project Lighthouse Faces Transmission Setback (WI): Wisconsin regulators returned the transmission line application for Project Lighthouse, developed by Vantage Data Centers in Port Washington, as incomplete. Although buildings are under construction, the campus cannot be energized until the required transmission line is approved and built, creating uncertainty around the planned power delivery timeline.
MARKET OUTLOOK
October developments show continued growth in planned data center capacity, with nuclear generation, natural gas, and major utility connections supporting large campus proposals.
Construction advanced at Microsoft, xAI, Soluna, and Digital Realty sites, while Project Lighthouse's transmission setback highlights the difference between building progress and operational readiness.
As more gigawatt-scale campuses move forward, power delivery schedules and construction progress remain key factors in determining when new capacity becomes available.
ABOUT ATERIO
Aterio provides real-time, facility-level intelligence on U.S. data center development, power demand, and digital infrastructure growth. Its daily-updated subscription dataset tracks active, under-construction, and announced data center projects, supporting investors, energy companies, infrastructure providers, and strategic planners.
Learn more at https://www.aterio.io.
Aterio Data Team
Aterio
data@aterio.io
Visit us on social media:
LinkedIn
X
Other
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
