Historic Digital Infrastructure Development to Anchor $10 Billion in Regional Economic Investment, Support Thousands of Construction Jobs, and Protect Grid Reliability and Local Ratepayers
Aligned Data Centers Breaks Ground on Project Phoenix
Aligned Data Centers Project Phoenix Data Center Campus
DALLAS, Sept. 10, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Aligned Data Centers (“Aligned” or “the Company”), a leading developer and operator of ultra-efficient data centers for the world’s most demanding workloads, today announced the groundbreaking of “Project Phoenix,” a new 2 GW data center campus located in Shippingport, Pennsylvania. Spanning three facilities, the development will meet robust regional demand for digital infrastructure while anchoring an estimated $10B in regional economic investment.
“Project Phoenix represents the future of responsible data center development,” said Andrew Schaap, CEO of Aligned. “The project is a legacy reimagined that transforms a dormant industrial site into a foundational asset for the local community. Beyond delivering critical infrastructure for our customers, this investment establishes a powerful new economic hub for Western Pennsylvania and creates long-term prosperity for local workers and the community.”
Aligned applauds Pennsylvania’s Governor’s Responsible Infrastructure Development (GRID) requirements, underscoring the Company’s commitment to responsible, community-centric development, as well as protecting energy affordability, supporting workforce and economic development, promoting transparency and community engagement, and strengthening environmental protection.
“We proudly support Governor Shapiro’s GRID standards and are a signatory of the Ratepayer Protection Pledge,” added Schaap. “We have always held ourselves to a higher bar because doing things the right way is simply who we are. We aren’t just a responsible developer; we operate these facilities and stay in the communities we build, so the long-term success of our projects and communities is essential to our continued growth. Project Phoenix serves as a model for how advanced digital infrastructure can sustainably fuel regional economies. Most importantly, it proves that data center development can be done right.”
Protecting Energy Affordability
Project Phoenix will use its own dedicated onsite power source rather than the local electrical grid. Located in the Shippingport Industrial Park, the campus sits adjacent to the Shippingport Power Station, a former coal power plant that is being redeveloped into an advanced, natural gas energy campus. Once completed, the project is expected to deliver substantial excess power capacity back to the grid, boosting supply for the country’s largest power grid operator and Pennsylvania consumers.
Supporting Workforce and Economic Development
Project Phoenix will support an estimated 3,000 construction jobs and create an estimated 640 full-time careers for ongoing campus operations, while catalyzing thousands of indirect jobs throughout the local supply chain and regional economy. The campus is also projected to generate new government revenue annually for Beaver County.
“Project Phoenix represents a significant investment in the future of Western Pennsylvania and the region’s digital infrastructure,” said Beth Lowry, CEO of Holder Construction. “We’re proud to partner with Aligned on this transformative project and help bring a world-class data center campus to the community. The project will create meaningful opportunities for local workers and businesses while supporting long-term economic growth across the region.”
“Transforming a legacy industrial site into a next-generation data center campus requires vision and world-class execution,” said Brett Burgett, CEO of Kokosing. “We are honored that Aligned has trusted Kokosing as a partner to bring Project Phoenix to life. Together, we are delivering sustainable, critical infrastructure while providing thousands of highly skilled tradespeople the opportunity to build the future of their own community.”
Promoting Transparency and Community Engagement
Aligned has prioritized a transparent, collaborative partnership with the Shippingport community by listening, engaging early, and establishing channels for open dialogue to ensure local feedback helped shape the campus’s design, planning, and construction.
Shippingport Mayor John Erickson emphasized the project’s impact on the local community and workforce: “For decades, Shippingport has been defined by powering the country as the birthplace of commercial nuclear energy,” Erickson said. “Project Phoenix honors that legacy, opening a new chapter by taking a historic site and rebuilding it into a modern engine of innovation. By creating thousands of jobs and sustainable career pathways for the next generation, this is far more than an infrastructure project – it is a profound investment in our community’s future.”
Strengthening Environmental Protection
Engineered to require zero water for operational cooling, each Project Phoenix data center utilizes an advanced closed-loop system that continuously recycles pure, deionized water. As a result, the facilities have a minimal overall water footprint, comparable to a standard commercial office building. Beyond strictly adhering to all federal, state, and local environmental mandates, Aligned is also pursuing Green Globes certification – a comprehensive, science-based green building rating system administered by the Green Building Initiative (GBI) – at Project Phoenix. This third-party assessment evaluates a facility’s resource efficiency and overall environmental impact, reinforcing the company’s deep commitment to sustainable design. Aligned is among the highest-certifying data center developers in the program.
About Aligned Data Centers
Aligned Data Centers delivers sustainable, ultra-efficient, and adaptive infrastructure for the world’s most demanding technology workloads. Fueled by over 50 patents for award-winning, water-saving cooling technology and a commitment to responsible development, our facilities underpin the digital applications society relies on every day. Aligned is committed to the communities we serve, transforming industrial sites into technology hubs, generating local jobs and fostering widespread skilled workforce development. For more information, visit www.aligneddc.com.
Media, Analyst, & Community Contact
Joanna Soucy
Aligned Data Centers
[email protected]
+1 (847) 630-9778
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:
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