The announcement was made during the Pennsylvania Energy and Innovation Summit, hosted by US Senator Dave McCormick, where Amazon Web Services (AWS) joined President Donald Trump, alongside other government officials.
AWS CEO Matt Garman, said: ‘There may not be a bigger national security imperative than winning this technology race.
‘There is a real flywheel effect where the entire economy benefits and the jobs get better, the innovation gets better, and the amount of prosperity that happens for those that stay ahead is critical to almost every single business and every single industry.’
The technology giant’s investment in the new Salem Township data centre also includes financial support for the nearby Susquehanna nuclear power plant, owned and operated by Talen Energy.
The partnership between Amazon and Talen will help ensure that the plant continues to provide safe, reliable nuclear energy for years to come contributing to the local community.
Additionally, the clean energy will also power Amazon’s AI initiatives in the region, as well creating over 1,250 high-skilled jobs across the technology and supply chain.
Beyond infrastructure, Amazon is investing in STEM education, workforce training and community grants via its Northeastern Pennsylvania Community Fund, supporting local nonprofits focused on sustainability, education and public health.
Meanwhile, AWS is also exploring the deployment of small modular reactors (SMRs) at the Susquehanna site.
Garman also stressed the urgent need to modernise America’s outdated electrical grid, with over 70% of transmission lines now more than 25 years old.
As a result, AWS is urging policymakers to streamline permitting and regulatory processes to unlock private-sector innovation.
“Outdated permitting processes and bureaucratic delays are slowing critical energy and infrastructure progress, placing US competitiveness at risk,” AWS stated.
“It’s why we’ve encouraged bipartisan collaboration at the local, state, and federal levels to unlock the private-sector innovation and investment needed to strengthen America’s technological edge and ensure long-term economic and national security.”
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