Just days before an Assembly committee is scheduled to consider a bill to impose tariffs on AI data centers in New Jersey, Amazon is announcing it will invest $20 billion in Pennsylvania to advance AI innovation and expand its cloud computing infrastructure.
The planned investment, announced Monday by Amazon Web Services (AWS), includes multiple innovation campuses that will create 1,250 highly skilled jobs and support thousands more in the AWS data center supply chain. In a statement, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro called it the largest capital investment in the Commonwealth’s history.
One of the two AI innovation complexes selected so far will be in Luzerne County adjacent to the Susquehanna nuclear plant, which will provide the campus with power. The second site will be in Falls Township in Bucks County, and there are “multiple” other Pennsylvania communities under consideration for additional campuses, the AWS statement said.
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. Access to sufficient energy production capacity that is reliable and affordable is a major consideration for planning energy-hungry AI data centers.
In New Jersey, where electric rates increased 20% on June 1 due to high demand and insufficient capacity issues, the Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee is set to consider a bill, A-5462, on Thursday that would direct each electric public utility in the state to submit a tariff for data centers to the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) for approval. The bill’s goal is to ensure that operators of data centers pay higher rates than other customers.
“With New Jersey’s energy capacity challenges and proposed tariff legislation like this under consideration, it’s no wonder that new AI data centers are being built in neighboring Pennsylvania,” said NJBIA Deputy Chief Government Affairs Officer Ray Cantor. “New Jersey’s loss of this $20 billion investment is Pennsylvania’s gain.”
Amazon said its Pennsylvania investment will create highly skilled jobs, ranging 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 also announced a commitment 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. These programs include:
- Amazon Community Workforce Accelerator (CWA): Training centers that support careers in cloud computing infrastructure with AWS and our network of contractors, vendors and partners. CWA houses a variety of skilled technical trades training programs to prepare the workforce of tomorrow to build, connect, power and operate and maintain AWS's data centers in this region.
- Data Center Operations and Fiber Optic Technician Programs: Bringing industry experts and state-of-the-art equipment to train local education institutions to prepare for the next generation of Pennsylvania data center operators.
- Fiber Optic Fusion Splicing Workshops: Two-day certificate courses implemented at local community colleges, technical schools, and universities that train individuals in new fusion splicing (the welding together of fiber optical cables) techniques and equipment, then connect these learners to fiber-broadband employers.
- Information Infrastructure Workshops for Educators: A one-day workshop to help education and workforce leaders better understand the physical layer of cloud computing and our information economy, and the many different careers that are available.
- AWS Information Infrastructure Pre-Apprenticeship ("I2PA"): A paid pre-apprenticeship designed for students and job seekers to prepare for entry into any one of several careers that build, connect, power, and operate the infrastructure of the information economy. Those who successfully complete the program will earn industry-recognized credentials and a guaranteed interview with AWS or one of its contractors.
Amazon said it also will launch new programs to support STEM awareness and learning opportunities for Pennsylvania K-12 school systems the company said.
Additionally, AWS said it was committing $250,000 to its newly launched Amazon Northeastern Pennsylvania Community Fund, managed and administered by the nonprofit ChangeX. Grants from the fund will support initiatives focused on STEM education, sustainability and environment, digital skills, culture and heritage, health, and well-being.
