The development of a new data center in Upper Burrell, Pennsylvania by Florida-based TECfusions is set to bring significant economic growth and job opportunities to the area. Anticipated to be the company’s U.S. flagship, the data center is being constructed on a vacant portion of the Alcoa Technical Center property. If the plans come to fruition, the data center will hold up to 3 gigawatts of power, significantly more than the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant. The facility is expected to employ hundreds of people, with the potential for thousands if it reaches its full capacity.
Acquisition and Site Details
TECfusions finalized the acquisition of the property on December 2. The facility, located off Route 780 and White Cloud Road, has the potential to store data from hundreds of companies, including an entire dataset from a company as large as Meta, the parent company of Facebook. The site’s founder, Simon Tusha, stated that the Upper Burrell site is intended to be their U.S. flagship. However, the completion of the 3-gigawatt potential is contingent upon securing permits from local, state, and federal authorities.
The data center will utilize electricity from West Penn Power and will also install natural gas turbines on-site to generate power. Backup power will be available in the event of a temporary outage. If the site reaches its full potential of 3 gigawatts, it could result in thousands of employees working there. This not only boosts the local economy but also emphasizes the scale of the project’s ambitions.
Data Center Functionality and Property Details
A data center is a facility that houses computing equipment such as servers, storage systems, and networking devices for companies and organizations. TECfusions’ spokeswoman, Melissa Farney, described a data center as “digital real estate,” likening it to renting an apartment where companies rent space and power. It provides essential infrastructure for the modern economy, enabling various online services and business operations.
The Upper Burrell property that TECfusions will utilize is approximately 500,000 square feet, while the total property acquired is just shy of 1,400 acres. Two years ago, Arconic (a spin-off of Alcoa) announced its intent to sell four of the seven buildings at the technical center site. The property was once the primary research center for Alcoa, making it a site with a rich industrial history. State Rep. Jill Cooper expressed excitement over the reuse of the facility, viewing it as a positive addition to the area and a means of revitalizing the site.
TECfusions’ Strategy and Investments
TECfusions will have a presence throughout all the buildings at the technical center, including those currently occupied by Arconic. In addition to the Upper Burrell site, TECfusions operates data centers in Virginia and Arizona. The company’s strategy includes reusing industrial properties to minimize environmental impact. For instance, their site in Clarksville, Virginia, is a former Russell Stover candy factory. Farney noted that the industry cannot always build from the ground up, so utilizing existing buildings is crucial.
TECfusions has made significant investments in the Upper Burrell site, with over $150 million already invested in preparing Building J and repurposing Buildings C and D. Tusha mentioned his excitement about moving a tenant into Building J, although he did not disclose specific tenants at their other facilities. He pointed out that the tenants are well-known companies, indicating the high demand and trust in TECfusions’ capabilities.
Repurposing and Community Impact
Building C, formerly used for chemical testing by Alcoa, will be repurposed to include natural gas turbines outside the building and outdoor generators inside the data center. The company has received $2 million in state grant funding for the Keystone Connect Data Center multiphase project. The first phase, starting next year, includes procuring and setting up equipment, emergency power generation, UPS systems, electric switch gear, transformers, breakers, cabling, and building materials. Local workers are expected to be involved in contracted work for the project. This commitment to local labor underscores TECfusions’ dedication to the community.
Simon Tusha, the founder of TECfusions, has a past marked by legal and personal challenges. In May 2016, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States in connection with unpaid income taxes. In January 2019, he was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release. His sentencing was delayed due to his diagnosis with prostate cancer and malignant melanoma. After serving his sentence and paying $962,100 in restitution, Tusha has since regained his federal clearances and state real estate licenses. He stated that overcoming these challenges has given him clarity and drive to focus on building environmentally conscious and community-focused data centers.
Future Prospects and Security Measures
The upcoming data center project in Upper Burrell, Pennsylvania, spearheaded by Florida-based company TECfusions, promises significant economic and employment benefits for the area. This new establishment is set to become the company’s principal facility in the United States. The data center is being constructed on an unused section of the Alcoa Technical Center property, signifying a productive repurposing of the land.
If the development proceeds according to plan, the data center will boast an impressive power capacity of up to 3 gigawatts, far surpassing the power generated by the well-known Three Mile Island nuclear power plant. Such a substantial power capacity indicates the potential for extensive operations and services within the center.
Moreover, the new facility is projected to create job opportunities for hundreds of individuals, providing indispensable employment to the local workforce. If the center operates at full capacity, it could employ thousands, further boosting the regional economy. Overall, TECfusions’ data center is poised to be a major economic driver and a significant source of employment, marking a notable development for Upper Burrell and the surrounding regions.
