Latest news with #KevinMiller
Mint
5 hours ago
- Business
- Mint
Amazon to spend $20B on data centres in Pennsylvania, including one next to a nuclear power plant
Harrisburg (Pennsylvania), Jun 10 (AP) Amazon said on Monday that it will spend USD 20 billion on two data centre complexes in Pennsylvania, including one it is building alongside a nuclear power plant that has drawn federal scrutiny over an arrangement to essentially plug right into the power plant. Kevin Miller, vice-president of global data centres at Amazon's cloud computing subsidiary, Amazon Web Services, told The Associated Press that the company will build another data centre complex just north of Philadelphia. One data centre is being built next to northeastern Pennsylvania's Susquehanna nuclear power plant, where it intends to get its power. The other will be in Fairless Hills at a logistics campus, the Keystone Trade Centre, on what was once a US Steel mill. Amazon said that data centre will get its power through the electricity grid. At a news conference in Berwick in the shadow of the power plant, Governor Josh Shapiro called it the largest private sector investment in Pennsylvania's history. Monday's announcement, he said, is "just the beginning" because his administration is working with Amazon on additional data centre projects in Pennsylvania. While critics say data centres employ relatively few people and pack little long-term job-creation punch, their advocates say they require a huge number of construction jobs to build, spend enormous sums at area vendors and generate strong tax revenues for local governments. Shapiro touted the work that will keep construction trades members busy building Amazon's data centres, the tech jobs that will be waiting for graduates of area colleges and the millions of dollars in property taxes that will flow to schools and local governments. "For too long, we've watched as talents across Pennsylvania got hollowed out and left behind," Shapiro said at the news conference. "No more. Now is our time to rebuild those communities and invest in them. This investment in Pennsylvania starts reversing that trend." Pennsylvania will provide possibly tens of millions of dollars in incentives, typically a key element of data centre deals as states compete for the large installations they hope will be an economic bonanza. Shapiro's administration said it will spend USD 10 million to pay for training classes and facilities at schools, community colleges and union halls to meet the skills demand for the data centres. Amazon also will qualify for Pennsylvania's existing sales tax exemption on purchases of data centre equipment, such as servers and routers, an exemption that most states offer and that is viewed as a must-have for a state to compete. The announcements add to the billions of dollars in Big Tech's data centre cash flowing into the state. Since 2024 started, Amazon has committed to about USD 10 billion apiece to data centre projects in Mississippi, Indiana, Ohio and North Carolina as it ramps up its infrastructure to compete with other tech giants to meet growing demand for artificial intelligence products. The rapid growth of cloud computing and artificial intelligence has meanwhile fuelled demand for energy-hungry data centres that need power to run servers, storage systems, networking equipment and cooling systems. The majority owner of the Susquehanna nuclear power plant, Talen Energy, last year sold its data centre and land adjacent to the plant to Amazon for USD 650 million in a deal to eventually provide 960 megawatts of electricity, likely at a premium. That is 40 per cent of the output of one of the nation's largest nuclear power plants, or enough to power more than a half-million homes. Amazon is effectively gutting that data centre and building its own, larger facility on the land. However, the power-supply arrangement between Talen and Amazon — called a "behind the meter" connection — has been held up by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in the first such case to come before the agency. For Big Tech, plugging data centres directly into a power plant can take years off their development timelines and is a much faster route to procuring power than connecting to the congested electricity grid. But it has raised questions over whether diverting power to higher-paying customers will leave enough for others and whether it is fair to excuse big power users from paying fees to improve the grid. It is not clear when FERC, which blocked the deal on a procedural grounds, will decide the matter. Already in Pennsylvania, Microsoft has a deal with the owner of the shuttered Three Mile Island nuclear power plant to restart a reactor under a 20-year agreement to supply its data centres in four states with energy. Meanwhile, the owners of what was once Pennsylvania's biggest coal-fired power plant say they will turn it into a USD 10 billion natural gas-powered data centre campus. (AP) RUK RUK
Time of India
15 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Amazon's Pennsylvania investment: 2 data centres worth $20 billion; One taps directly into nuclear power
Amazon on Monday announced a $20 billion investment to develop two data centre complexes in Pennsylvania, adding to the billions of dollars that Big Tech's have already poured into the state's booming data centre industry. The e-commerce giant is planning to construct one data centre next to Susquehanna nuclear power plant, but the plan is now under federal investigation due to concerns over the company drawing power directly from the facility. The other is planned just north of Philadelphia, Kevin Miller, vice president of global data centers at Amazon Web Services told AP on Monday. The Pennsylvania investment follows a string of similar commitments by Amazon this year, with $10 billion each pledged for data centre projects in Mississippi, Indiana, Ohio and North Carolina, marking an aggressive expansion as tech giants vie for dominance in the AI era. As cloud computing and AI continue to grow rapidly, the demand for data centers is also surging as the technologies require significant power to operate servers, storage systems, networking gear, and cooling infrastructure. Why the scrutiny over the Susquehanna plant? The data centre near the Susquehanna plant stands out not just for its scale but for the way it plans to tap into power. In a deal struck last year, Talen Energy, majority owner of the nuclear facility, sold its adjacent data centre to Amazon for $650 million. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Speel gratis in je browser – Geen download of installatie nodig! Taonga Farm Nu afspelen Undo The agreement would allow Amazon to access up to 960 megawatts of electricity, approximately 40% of the plant's output, sufficient to power over 500,000 homes. However, the unique 'behind the meter' arrangement, which enables Amazon to plug directly into the plant without routing through the broader power grid, has triggered the attention of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). This is the first case of its kind to come before the agency. Regulators are now examining whether such setups unfairly allow large tech firms to bypass grid fees and if prioritising high-paying corporate users could jeopardise energy availability for others. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Toronto Sun
15 hours ago
- Business
- Toronto Sun
Amazon to spend $20B on data centres in Pennsylvania
Published Jun 09, 2025 • Last updated 3 minutes ago • 2 minute read FILE - A data center owned by Amazon Web Services, front right, is under construction next to the Susquehanna nuclear power plant in Berwick, Pa., on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2024. Photo by Ted Shaffrey / AP HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Amazon said Monday that it will spend $20 billion on two data center complexes in Pennsylvania, including one it is building alongside a nuclear power plant that has drawn federal scrutiny over an arrangement to essentially plug right into the power plant. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Kevin Miller, vice president of global data centers at Amazon's cloud computing subsidiary, Amazon Web Services, told The Associated Press that the company will build another data center complex just north of Philadelphia. One data center is being built next to northeastern Pennsylvania's Susquehanna nuclear power plant. The other will be in Fairless Hills at a logistics campus, the Keystone Trade Center, on what was once a U.S. Steel mill. In a statement, Gov. Josh Shapiro called it the largest capital investment in Pennsylvania's history. The announcements add to the billions of dollars in Big Tech's data center cash already flowing into the state. Since 2024 started, Amazon has committed to about $10 billion apiece to data center projects in Mississippi, Indiana, Ohio and North Carolina as it ramps up its investment in infrastructure to compete with other tech giants to meet growing demand for artificial intelligence products. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The rapid growth of cloud computing and artificial intelligence has fueled demand for data centers that need power to run servers, storage systems, networking equipment and cooling systems. The majority owner of the Susquehanna nuclear power plant, Talen Energy, announced last year that it had sold its data center to Amazon for $650 million in a deal to eventually provide 960 megawatts. That's 40% of the output of one of the nation's largest nuclear power plants, or enough to power more than a half-million homes. However, the arrangement between Talen and Amazon — called a 'behind the meter' connection — has been held up by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in the first such case to come before the agency. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. It has raised questions over whether diverting power to higher-paying customers will leave enough for others and whether it's fair to excuse big power users from paying for the grid. For Big Tech, plugging energy-hungry data centers directly into a power plant can take years off their development timelines and is a much faster route to procuring power than having to connect to the congested electricity grid. It's not clear when FERC, which blocked the deal on a procedural grounds, will decide the matter, leaving in limbo regulatory treatment of the deal and others that likely would follow. Already in Pennsylvania, Microsoft announced a deal with the owner of the shuttered Three Mile Island nuclear power plant to restart the reactor under a 20-year agreement to supply its data centers in four states with energy. Meanwhile, the owners of what was once Pennsylvania's biggest coal-fired power plant say they will turn it into a $10 billion natural gas-powered data center campus. Canada World Sunshine Girls Golf Editorial Cartoons
Washington Post
15 hours ago
- Business
- Washington Post
Amazon to spend $20B on data centers in Pennsylvania, including one next to a nuclear power plant
HARRISBURG, Pa. — Amazon said Monday that it will spend $20 billion on two data center complexes in Pennsylvania, including one it is building alongside a nuclear power plant that has drawn federal scrutiny over an arrangement to essentially plug right into the power plant. Kevin Miller, vice president of global data centers at Amazon's cloud computing subsidiary, Amazon Web Services, told The Associated Press that the company will build another data center complex just north of Philadelphia.
Geek Wire
20 hours ago
- Business
- Geek Wire
As data center demand soars, Amazon expands use of wastewater to cool its cloud
Sustainability: News about the rapidly growing climate tech sector and other areas of innovation to protect our planet. SEE MORE Amazon data center in the Portland, Ore., area in 2022. (AWS Photo / Noah Berger) Amazon Web Services is more than halfway to its 2030 goal of being 'water positive' — meaning it replenishes more clean water than it uses. And supporting that effort is a newly announced initiative to expand its use of recycled waste water instead of drinking water to cool 120 of its U.S. data centers by the end of this decade. AWS is wringing more water out of its cloud operations, marking a 40% improvement in its water use efficiency over the past three years. And it's 53% of the way toward becoming water positive, based on 2024 data — up from 41% from the year before. 'We're pretty proud of the fact that our global water use efficiency is really industry leading,' Kevin Miller, vice president of global data center operations for AWS, said in an interview. The water challenge is driven by data centers containing servers that act as the backbone of the internet, powering increasingly popular artificial intelligence tools. The electronics produce intense heat that needs to be wicked away to keep the devices running properly, and cooling them requires a combination of energy and water use. The issue has become increasingly urgent as Amazon and other cloud giants expand their thirsty data center operations worldwide. Bloomberg recently reported that nearly two-thirds of the U.S. data centers that were built or are under development in the past three years are located in water-stressed areas. Amazon alone plans to invest $100 billion in its data centers over a decade, which includes construction of new facilities. Data center operators use a variety of cooling tech that include fans, air that's cooled using evaporated water, air conditioning, and direct liquid cooling. The strategies are a resource balancing act: air conditioning, for example, draws more electricity, but saves water, while cooling with evaporated water is less energy intensive, but sucks up water. Amazon also has clean energy goals to meet, and since 2023 has matched 100% of its electricity consumption with the purchase of an equal amount of power produced by carbon-free sources. PIpes carrying reclaimed water for cooling at an AWS data center. (AWS Photo) Optimizing cooling To keep its servers humming, AWS relies primarily on fans and evaporation-cooled air, depending on the location of the data center, the time of day, the weather and other factors. The moistened, cooled air is ultimately released from the building. 'We're constantly adjusting based on what's really going on throughout the day to keep it in the optimal cooling configuration, minimizing water usage,' Miller said. Since 2019, AWS has used recycled water at some data centers in Virginia, which is a hub for server facilities. The company currently uses reclaimed water at 24 sites, including locations in California and Singapore. The new initiative will expand the practice to Georgia and Mississippi. Miller declined to say how many data centers AWS has in total, saying that 120 sites represents 'a meaningful share' of its operations. The recycled water typically comes from sewage plants and has been treated but is not potable. By 2030, AWS expects to avoid the consumption of more than 530 million gallons of drinking-water through its use of recycled water. 'Amazon is not only preserving precious drinking water supplies for communities but also demonstrating that water reuse is a viable, sustainable solution for water-intensive industries,' said Brian Biesemeyer, interim executive director of the WateReuse Association, in a statement. To reach water positive, AWS is also investing in water storage efforts; the restoration of watersheds and wetlands that naturally replenish supplies; and the construction of water treatment systems. While it's making progress, critics say the tally should also include the significant amounts of water consumed by some of the power plants that provide energy to AWS. Racks of servers inside an AWS data center in 2023. (AWS Photo / Noah Berger) Water innovation AWS is on its sixth data center design and continues exploring ways to curb its water use, Miller said. That includes looking for leaks in pipes running to data centers. It's fine-tuning the material that the air flows through when it picks up the water to optimize the moisture in the air. AWS does dynamic models of the airflow within data centers for improved cooling. Other companies are likewise innovating to reduce water use, including fellow Seattle-area cloud behemoth Microsoft. Microsoft is using recycled water at sites in Washington, California, Texas and Singapore, and has designed a closed-loop cooling system, meaning it will need to be filled with water only once. It plans to deploy this approach in Wisconsin and Arizona next year. The company said it will use nominally more power than evaporation systems. But Amazon remains out in front when considering water use efficiency (WUE), a measure developed by the nonprofit group The Green Grid to indicate how well the resource is being used relative to a data center's energy consumption. Microsoft's WUE was 0.30 liters of water per kilowatt hour of power for its last fiscal year — which is a notable improvement over past performance. Amazon's WUE is half that amount, hitting 0.15 last year.
