Photo: simpson33 / iStock / Getty Images
Middlesex Township supervisors in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, have approved subdivision plans for a large data center campus known as Pennsylvania Digital 1 or PAX-1. The proposed 18-building complex will span 700 acres off Country Club Road, about five miles northeast of Carlisle. The project, led by Carlisle Development Partners LLC, aims to meet the growing demand for cloud and AI computing capacity.
The approved plans mark a significant step forward for the data center, but several key issues remain unresolved. Township officials still need to approve the land development plans before construction can begin. Additionally, decisions on the center's power source and how it will meet its substantial water requirements are pending. The Middlesex water authority has committed to reserving up to 400,000 gallons of water per day for the center, equivalent to the consumption of 2,367 homes.
The data center is expected to bring economic benefits to the area, potentially creating around 450 jobs and generating an estimated $65 million in tax revenue for Cumberland County, Middlesex Township, and the local school district. However, residents have expressed concerns about the project's impact on the community, including its appearance, noise, and resource usage.
Justin Ross, the project engineer, hopes to begin work on the $15 billion project’s electrical infrastructure this spring. The project is being closely watched as a potential model for balancing economic development with the logistical challenges of large-scale data centers. As reported by PennLive, the center's development reflects a broader trend of data centers seeking locations with available land and supportive local governments.