Amazon to invest $20 billion in Bucks, Luzerne sites for AI innovation campuses
Amazon announced plans to invest at least $20 billion in Pennsylvania to expand data center infrastructure to support artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing technologies.
Salem Township in Luzerne County and Falls Township in Bucks County are the first communities identified as sites for these future innovation campuses. Multiple additional Pennsylvania communities are under consideration.
“Amazon’s multi-billion-dollar investment in Pennsylvania reinforces our dedication to advancing AI innovation while creating lasting economic opportunities in the state,” said David Zapolsky, Amazon’s chief global affairs and legal officer. “By expanding our cloud computing infrastructure, we’re investing in Pennsylvania’s future through new jobs, workforce development programs, and community initiatives. We look forward to helping drive the next generation of technology innovation, while delivering meaningful benefits for Pennsylvania residents.”
“Pennsylvania is competing again – and I’m proud to announce that with Amazon’s commitment of at least $20 billion to build new state-of-the-art data center campuses across our Commonwealth, we have secured the largest private sector investment in the history of Pennsylvania,” said Governor Josh Shapiro.
“This initial investment from Amazon will create thousands of good-paying, stable jobs as Pennsylvania workers build, maintain, and operate the first two data center campuses in Luzerne County and Bucks County. Our team worked closely with local leaders and Amazon to land this deal, and we continue to be actively engaged on securing additional sites in Pennsylvania – helping them secure local support, developing the infrastructure needed to support more data centers, and ensuring our permitting processes move quickly and efficiently. With this historic announcement, we’re creating opportunity for our workers, generating new revenue for our local communities, and ensuring the future of AI runs right through Pennsylvania.”
Pennsylvania Sen. Dave McCormick also applauded the announcement.
“I’m grateful to Amazon, Governor Shapiro, and leaders across all levels of government for working to secure this historic investment for the Commonwealth. Our state’s vast energy resources, combined with our skilled workforce, plentiful water, proximity to major population centers, and elite research institutions, make Pennsylvania a perfect base to power America’s innovative technological future through data centers like these,” said Senator McCormick. “This investment will create thousands of jobs and bring critical workforce training programs to Pennsylvania.”
“This commitment to Pennsylvania by Amazon is just the beginning and builds a massive amount of momentum as we approach my inaugural Pennsylvania Energy and Innovation Summit in Pittsburgh next month,” McCormick continued. “This event will bring together elected officials, leading energy and AI companies, global investors, and labor leaders to ensure that Pennsylvania is at the forefront of attracting data center investment and creating good jobs through the AI revolution.”
The landmark investment is expected to create at least 1,250 new high-skilled jobs while supporting thousands of other jobs in the Amazon Web Services (AWS) data center supply chain.
The new high-skilled jobs are expected to range from data center engineers and network specialists, to engineering operations managers, security specialists, and many more technical roles. In addition to these direct positions, this planned investment is expected to support thousands of local construction jobs and positions in the data center supply chain, as well as other jobs in the local community.
Amazon is also committing to partner with Pennsylvania educational institutions and workforce organizations to develop training programs that prepare job seekers for careers in data center construction and operations. This training and support will include facilities and equipment donations to empower hands-on learning, faculty training from industry subject matter experts, and curricular content to link programs of study to industry standards and best practices.
“Pennsylvania is proud to have worked alongside our local partners in Salem Township, Luzerne County and Falls Township, Bucks County, to win today’s unprecedented $20 billion investment from Amazon. The company’s data center campuses will drive enormous positive tax impacts for our Commonwealth, counties, and municipalities, and will create at least 1,250 high-paying, high-tech jobs as well as thousands of construction jobs,” said DCED Secretary Rick Siger. “Every state wants to win projects like this one. Our Commonwealth is built on innovation and this project sends a clear, strong signal to the world that Pennsylvania Gets It Done.”
Since 2010, Amazon has invested more than $26 billion in Pennsylvania, including infrastructure and compensation to employees, and has created more than 27,000 direct jobs across the Commonwealth.
“Amazon’s $20 billion investment proves what’s possible when we focus on making Pennsylvania more competitive by modernizing our permitting and regulatory processes and creating a tax environment where businesses want to invest, grow, and hire talented people, said Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry President and CEO Luke Bernstein. “The PA Chamber is proud to count Amazon as a valued and engaged member, and we thank them for this historic investment. We commend Governor Shapiro, Senator McCormick, and Pennsylvania’s elected leaders who continue to support public policies that position our Commonwealth to compete for — and win — transformational investments like this one. This is the kind of momentum we’ve been working toward, and we’re just getting started.”
Steve Ulrich is managing editor of Politics PA.
