Justified Data Campus

Timeline from the record

Newest first. Record entries come from the filings and reports the registry cites. Coverage entries are headlines from publisher feeds we monitor daily, linked to the outlet; last checked September 14, 2026.

1. August 21, 2026

   Coverage
   A data center developer says it is committing to Beshear’s data center requirements · Kentucky Lantern
2. 2026

   Permitted
   TeraWulf acquired ~750-acre former Century Aluminum smelter site from Century Aluminum subsidiary; Justified Data campus announced February 2, 2026. Source: TeraWulf Inc.
3. 2026

   Under construction
   20-year lease signed with Anthropic PBC (via TeraWulf's Raylan Data LLC entity) for 401 MW critical IT load; ~$19B contracted lease revenue over initial term. Initial capacity targeted H2 2027; full 401 MW ramp by early 2028. Announced July 6, 2026. Source: TeraWulf Inc.

Opposition and litigation at this site

Partly. Both documented support and documented opposition to Justified Data Campus in Hawesville, Hancock County, Kentucky appear in the record, with no clear majority position. Online petition with 1,200+ signatures asking county officials, the governor, and the state utility regulator to pause approvals pending disclosure of energy, environmental, and infrastructure impacts.

How the community has taken it

Reception is a sourced signal, not an editorial judgment: mixed reception means documented support and documented opposition both exist with no clear majority position on record.

Online petition with 1,200+ signatures asking county officials, the governor, and the state utility regulator to pause approvals pending disclosure of energy, environmental, and infrastructure impacts. Hancock County Judge-Executive Johnny Roberts publicly supportive, citing 100 to 120 high-paying permanent jobs and significant new annual tax revenue for schools and emergency services. Opposition concerns center on water use, traffic, and environmental effects. TeraWulf held community meetings (March 2026) to address water and cooling questions.

Source: Spectrum News 1

Power and water

Site connects directly to regional transmission network via on-site energized substation and multiple high-voltage transmission lines, bypassing local distribution. Big Rivers Electric filed a retail service agreement with the Kentucky PSC in April 2026 covering 482 MW transmission capacity for the Justified Data project; TeraWulf bears identified costs and risks for obtaining and transmitting capacity. TeraWulf is covering the full cost of required grid upgrades.

TeraWulf stated at community meetings that no river water or municipal water will be used. Advanced closed-loop liquid cooling system; company stated campus will use less water over several years than the former aluminum smelter consumed in a single day. No reported MGD figure available.

Notes on the record

Brownfield redevelopment of former Century Aluminum smelter. Site acquired February 2026 from Century Aluminum subsidiary; acquisition price reported by multiple outlets as $200M cash plus a 6.8% minority equity interest in TeraWulf (not confirmed in official PR text fetched). Lease entity: TeraWulf's Raylan Data LLC to Anthropic PBC. The ~$19B is contracted lease revenue over the 20-year term, not capex; excluded from investmentUsd. TeraWulf indicated a $3B-$4B construction investment for two data center buildings (range, not a firm single figure; excluded from investmentUsd). Site has ~480 MW of existing power availability; 401 MW is the Anthropic lease capacity. Total site ~750 acres per news sources; TeraWulf's official PR cited 'over 250 buildable acres.' Coordinates are approximate (Hawesville town center). Fluidstack/Abernathy JV is a separate unrelated transaction, excluded from this record.

Questions people ask about this site