By Miika Makela | WBN News Global, WBN News, WBN News Vancouver, WBN Finance| Jun 11, 2025 |

Amazon has unveiled plans to invest $20 billion in two cutting-edge data center campuses in Pennsylvania—an ambitious initiative expected to generate thousands of jobs, drive infrastructure development, and elevate the state’s status in the global tech economy.

This marks the largest private-sector investment in Pennsylvania’s history and is part of Amazon’s broader expansion of its AWS (Amazon Web Services) cloud and AI infrastructure across the United States.

Dual-Site Investment Strategy

Amazon will build two massive data center campuses:

  • Salem Township, Luzerne County: Located next to the Susquehanna nuclear power plant, this campus is expected to leverage direct access to nuclear energy for stable, clean electricity. Amazon is pursuing regulatory approval for a behind-the-meter power arrangement, allowing the facility to tap nearly 960 megawatts directly from the plant.
  • Falls Township, Bucks County: This second site, planned on part of the former U.S. Steel property in Fairless Hills, will connect to the regional electrical grid and support both cloud computing and AI workloads.

Combined, these facilities represent a long-term infrastructure commitment that will position Pennsylvania at the forefront of high-performance computing.

Economic and Employment Impact

The development is projected to create at least 1,250 full-time, permanent jobs, including data center engineers, IT support technicians, operations specialists, and facilities managers. In addition, thousands of construction, logistics, and ancillary jobs are expected throughout the multi-year buildout phase.

Amazon already employs over 27,000 people in Pennsylvania and claims to have invested more than $26 billion in the state since 2010. This new wave of investment is expected to generate even greater economic ripple effects through local vendor partnerships, real estate activity, and tax revenues.

To support the workforce needs of the new facilities, the state will provide a $10 million grant to fund technical training programs focused on data center operations, fiber optics, and other in-demand skills.

Governor’s Statement and State Commitment

Governor Josh Shapiro emphasized the importance of the announcement, calling it “the largest private-sector investment in Pennsylvania’s history.” He added, “This is a massive win that will cement Pennsylvania’s position as a leader in the innovation economy.”

Shapiro’s administration has also indicated that Pennsylvania is actively exploring opportunities for additional high-tech investments and partnerships, further signaling a long-term strategy to attract AI and cloud computing enterprises.

Timeline and Broader Strategy

While Amazon has not disclosed a definitive timeline for completion, the project is already in its early stages with site preparation underway. The company’s broader capital expenditures in cloud infrastructure remain around $25 billion per quarter, and Pennsylvania is now a key component of that global expansion.

In addition to Pennsylvania, Amazon has recently announced similar investments in other U.S. states and international locations, underscoring the urgency to scale cloud capacity to meet rising global demand for generative AI and advanced data services.

Conclusion

Amazon’s $20 billion investment in Pennsylvania signals a pivotal moment for the state’s economic future. With a strong emphasis on skilled job creation, clean energy integration, and infrastructure modernization, the initiative is expected to generate lasting benefits for both local communities and the broader regional economy.

As Amazon continues to build the digital backbone of the AI era, Pennsylvania now stands to become a central hub for cloud and data innovation—backed by one of the largest technology investments in state history.

Miika Makela, CFA

 https://www.linkedin.com/in/miika-makela-cfa-24aa056/ 

  • #Amazon Investment #Pennsylvania Economy #Data Centers #Cloud Computing #Job Creation #Tech Growth #Digital Transformation #Engineering Shortage
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