Mapping Retired Coal & Nuclear Sites for Data Centers
- Craig Kaiser
- 23 hours ago
- 6 min read
The AI boom is pushing data center development into overdrive, but the biggest constraint isn’t land availability- it’s power. For hyperscalers and developers alike, securing sufficient interconnection capacity has become the longest, most expensive, and most uncertain part of the development timeline. Greenfield sites often look great on paper, but waiting years for transmission upgrades and utility approvals can stall projects before they ever break ground.Â
Between the 5-to-7-year wait times for utility interconnections and the nightmare of securing massive water rights, the traditional development model is moving too slow for the AI boom. That’s why some of the most strategic data center opportunities today aren’t new sites at all- they’re old ones.
LandGate gives data center developers the data, maps, and insights needed to identify high-potential sites with existing interconnection capacity- nationwide. Learn more about our comprehensive suite of tools for data center developers and book a demo with our team:
The Secret Weapon: Interconnection Capacity
The biggest hurdle in 2026 isn't the land; it’s the grid. Developing a greenfield site means starting from zero with the utility provider. Retired coal plants and nuclear facilities, however, offer a "plug-and-play" advantage. They have something gold-standard land simply doesn’t: substantial, pre-existing interconnection capacity. These sites were built to push massive amounts of electricity out to the grid, which means the heavy-duty infrastructure to pull power in is already there.
These sites were built to support massive, continuous power loads. Even after retirement or partial decommissioning, many still retain:
Existing Substations:Â High-voltage equipment and high-capacity transmission interconnections that are already tied into the grid.
Established Water Rights:Â Essential for cooling high-density AI racks.
Industrial Zoning:Â Skip the "Not In My Backyard" (NIMBY) zoning battles; these sites are already designated for heavy industrial use along with road and rail access designed for large-scale operations.
In other words, these power plants are already doing the hardest part of data center development- the grid work.
The Hidden Advantage of Existing Power Plants
Time is the only resource you can’t buy, unless you change your site selection strategy. Re-purposing a retired coal or nuclear site can shave 3 to 5 years off your development lifecycle. For AI-driven workloads that demand speed, scale, and reliability, time isn’t just money- it’s competitive advantage.
Feature | Greenfield Development | Retired Power Plant (Brownfield) |
Grid Connection | 5+ year queue | Existing infrastructure |
Zoning | Rezoning generally required | Pre-zoned industrial |
Water Access | New permits needed | Grandfathered rights |
Timeline | 6-8 years | 2-3 years |
Colocating Nuclear Power Plants and Data Centers
For both hyperscale and edge data centers, on-site nuclear power presents a compelling alternative to traditional grid-dependent development. By generating power directly at the site, developers can reduce reliance on congested transmission networks and avoid interconnection queues altogether, dramatically shortening timelines and lowering uncertainty. On-site nuclear generation also offers predictable, long-term energy costs, enhanced energy security, and greater operational resilience for mission-critical workloads. At the same time, it supports sustainability goals by delivering reliable, zero-carbon baseload power capable of meeting the continuous demands of AI and cloud computing.
Colocating Coal Plants and Data Centers
Similarly, retired coal sites offer a strategic path to scale without the delays and uncertainty of greenfield development. These locations were built to handle massive, continuous power loads, giving developers access to existing transmission infrastructure, substations, and interconnection capacity that would otherwise take years to secure. By repurposing coal sites, developers can bypass lengthy interconnection queues, reduce upfront infrastructure costs, and accelerate time to market. Many of these properties also feature industrial zoning, large contiguous land footprints, established utility relationships, and access to water- making them uniquely well-suited for hyperscale and AI-driven data center operations while supporting local economic transition and redevelopment.
Case Studies: Data Center Colocation with Existing Power Plants
Across the U.S., developers are increasingly turning to retired or underutilized power plants to meet the massive energy demands of modern data centers. These sites offer more than just land- they provide existing infrastructure, high-capacity transmission, and industrial zoning that can dramatically shorten development timelines. The following case studies illustrate how leveraging legacy energy assets, like coal to nuclear, can accelerate deployment, reduce risk, and power the next generation of AI and cloud computing facilities.
1) Three Mile Island Nuclear Plant
A powerful real-world example of this strategy is unfolding in Middletown, Pennsylvania. Three Mile Island- best known as the site of the most significant commercial nuclear accident in U.S. history- is being brought back online to power Microsoft’s data centers, which support the company’s cloud computing and artificial intelligence operations.
Constellation Energy signed a power purchase agreement with Microsoft in late 2024- the largest PPA in the company’s history- securing the full output of the Crane Clean Energy Center, totaling 835 megawatts. Microsoft’s commitment to purchase 100% of the facility’s generation underscores a critical reality of modern data center development: abundant, reliable energy is no longer optional- it’s foundational.
Beyond power, the project highlights the broader economic impact of reactivating legacy energy infrastructure. The recommissioning of the plant is expected to support hundreds of jobs during construction and at least 650 permanent positions once operational. Perhaps most importantly, the Crane Clean Energy Center represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity: bringing large-scale nuclear energy online at a speed that aligns with the explosive growth of artificial intelligence.
2) AEP Conesville Power Plant
Another compelling example of legacy energy infrastructure being redeployed for modern digital demand is taking shape in Coshocton County, Ohio, where a former coal-fired power plant is being transformed into a hyperscale data center campus. Once a 2,000-megawatt coal-fired giant that anchored the regional grid for 60 years, it is now being reborn as a multi-billion dollar hyperscale AI hub.
In 2024, Aligned Data Centers broke ground on a 197-acre parcel within the Conesville Industrial Park that leverages legacy assets. The site doesn't just offer power; it offers "AI-ready" density. The campus is designed to support the intense cooling and power requirements of Liquid Cooling and High-Performance Computing (HPC). Additionally, the site’s existing transmission infrastructure, industrial zoning, and utility access made it an ideal candidate for adaptive reuse, eliminating many of the barriers that slow greenfield data center development.
By leveraging the site’s pre-existing grid connections and power delivery capacity, the Conesville redevelopment demonstrates how former coal assets can be repositioned to meet the energy demands of cloud computing and AI- without waiting years for new infrastructure to be built. The hyperscale campus is expected to launch by mid- 2026, a timeline that would be difficult to achieve on undeveloped land given today’s interconnection backlogs and permitting challenges. For data center developers, the lesson is clear: sites built for yesterday’s energy economy are uniquely suited for today’s digital one.
3) The US Army
The US army is currently pioneering the same infrastructure-first strategy to solve its own energy crisis. Under the Janus Program, the Army is currently testing nuclear microreactors to provide "always-on" power for critical installations. These reactors are being built to support energy-intensive, mission-critical operations in environments where grid reliability, fuel logistics, and security are major constraints.Â
This isn't just a military experiment- it’s the proving ground for the very technology that will eventually power localized data center clusters. While some data center developers are looking to legacy power plants for grid-scale capacity, others are exploring a more decentralized approach: on-site nuclear generation.
Microreactors are designed to deliver consistent, high-density power with a small land footprint, minimal refueling requirements, and enhanced resilience against outages or disruptions. For data centers, particularly those supporting AI workloads that demand 24/7 uptime, this model offers a compelling alternative to traditional grid-dependent infrastructure. Similarly, the Army’s investment signals growing confidence that small nuclear technologies are moving from concept to deployment, and that large power consumers will increasingly seek sites capable of supporting this next generation of energy infrastructure.
The Challenge: Finding the Right Sites at Scale
While the opportunity is clear, identifying viable retired or underutilized power plant sites is not easy. Information is often fragmented across utilities, public records, and regulatory filings- and evaluating a site’s true potential requires more than just a pin on a map. That’s where LandGate comes in.
How LandGate Maps the Shortcut
Finding these “diamonds in the rough" used to require an army of consultants. LandGate’s data suite allows you to identify these high-value opportunities instantly.
Using LandGate, data center developers can:
Map retired coal plants and nuclear facilities across the U.S.
Analyze proximity to high-voltage transmission lines and substations
Identify properties with industrial zoning and compatible land use
Evaluate water access, environmental constraints, and surrounding land features to conduct comprehensive due diligence
Compare sites to prioritize development-ready locations
Instead of starting from scratch, developers can focus their time and capital on sites that already solve the hardest problems. The competitive advantage in AI belongs to the developers who can get racks online this decade. Don’t let a greenfield interconnection queue stall your growth. Use LandGate to find the retired energy hubs of the past and turn them into the AI powerhouses of the future.
