Data Center Census Near me

Pennsylvania Digital 1 (PAX-1)

Middlesex Township, Cumberland County, PA

Also known as PAX-1, Pennsylvania Digital 1

ApprovedSite-preparation permits granted; Phase 1-B final land development for the first six buildings approved September 2026
  1. Rumored
  2. Proposed
  3. Approved
  4. Under construction
  5. Operating

Pennsylvania Data Center Partners is developing PAX-1, a 16-data center campus on about 700 acres in Middlesex Township, Cumberland County; PPL Electric Utilities has said it can meet the project's 1.35 gigawatt peak energy demand with planned upgrades. Township supervisors approved the Phase 1-B final land development for the first six buildings in September 2026. The project involves more than 500 diesel generators. In September 2026 a Cumberland County judge denied residents' request to halt work while their appeal is heard; oral argument is scheduled for Jan. 12, 2027.

Site size
700 acres[4]
Permanent jobs (promised)
500
approximately (developer-stated)

Key facts

Size & schedule

Site size700 acres [4]
Source excerpt
“The 700-acre development now faces challenges in court.”
Site size693 acres [1]
693-acre tract per subdivision plan reporting
Source excerpt
“Those lines would split the 693-acre tract into three, six-building data center campuses, and a lot hosting an electrical substation and transformers needed to power them up.”
Buildings16 [4]
December 2025 reporting described three six-building campuses
Source excerpt
“One group opposing the project alleges the developer helped draft the zoning ordinance that would allow the 16-data center campus in Cumberland County.”
Permanent jobs (promised)500 [5]
approximately (developer-stated)
Source excerpt
“approximately 500 full-time permanent positions”

How big is that? Data center sizes compared with football fields and Central Park.

Power

UtilityPPL Electric Utilities [1]
Utility pages: PPL Electric Utilities · data centers and bills
Source excerpt
“Besides the water demands, PPL Electric Utilities has separately confirmed to the partners that, with some planned upgrades, it can meet the 1.35 gigawatt of peak energy demand.”
Power supplyPPL Electric Utilities grid; 1.35 gigawatt peak energy demand with planned upgrades [1]
Source excerpt
“Besides the water demands, PPL Electric Utilities has separately confirmed to the partners that, with some planned upgrades, it can meet the 1.35 gigawatt of peak energy demand.”
Backup generatorsmore than 500 diesel generators [4]
Source excerpt
“The project involves more than 500 diesel generators.”

Water

Water use400,000 gal/day [5]
up to 400,000 gallons per day capacity approved by municipal authority (developer-stated)
Source excerpt
“up to 400,000 gallons per day”

Money & incentives

Payments / community benefitsCommunity Benefits Agreement requiring $14 million in developer payments; side letter with noise monitoring, water quality and emissions testing [3]
Source excerpt
“noise monitoring, water quality testing and emissions testing”

Figures are as stated by the cited source. Where sources disagree, each figure is shown.

Water and power

Water

Power

UtilityPPL Electric Utilities [1]
Power supplyPPL Electric Utilities grid; 1.35 gigawatt peak energy demand with planned upgrades [1]

Disclosed figures only, each as the cited source states it. Many are projections or permit limits, not metered use. How data center water and power use is measured, and every disclosed figure →

Upcoming hearings

  • Jan 12, 2027 — Cumberland County Court of Common Pleas: Oral argument on residents' appeal against the PAX-1 approvals [6]

Timeline

  1. Carlisle Development Partners acquires the site for $44 million [1]

  2. Township planning commission recommends approving plans that would create internal lot lines for the project [1]

  3. Supervisors' vote postponed after overflow turnout created a fire hazard [2]

  4. Township supervisors approve Phase 1-B final land development, allowing the first six buildings [4]

  5. Cumberland County Judge Matthew P. Smith denies residents' request to halt work on PAX-1 while their appeal is considered [6]

Issues raised

  • Opposition group Stop PAX-1 has filed two legal challenges in county court and appealed to the Environmental Hearing Board [4]
  • Opponents allege illegal spot zoning and that the developer helped draft the zoning ordinance [4]
  • Residents cite blasting disruption, pollution and health concerns, and more than 500 diesel generators [4]

Issues are concerns and claims raised by the parties, officials or residents named in the cited sources. They are reported as attributed, not as findings by the Census.

Sources

  1. Cumberland County, Pa., Data Centers Take New Step Forward
    GovTech (PennLive) · Dec 23, 2025 · news
  2. Data Center Vote Canceled Due To Capacity Issues
    WHP 580 · Aug 6, 2026 · news
  3. Middlesex Township approves first phase of 16-building data center project
    Local 21 News (WHP) · Sep 2, 2026 · news
  4. Middlesex Township approves first phase of controversial PAX-1 data center project
    WITF · Sep 3, 2026 · news
  5. Pennsylvania Digital 1 (PAX-1) Data Center
    Pennsylvania Data Center Partners · 2026 · company
  6. Work to continue on Cumberland County data center after judge rules in favor of developers
    CBS 21 News (WHP) · Sep 23, 2026 · news

Cite this page

Last updated Sep 23, 2026. Figures may change as records are updated — include the date you retrieved them.

APAData Center Census. (2026). Pennsylvania Digital 1 (PAX-1). Retrieved from https://datacentercensus.com/dc/pax-1-middlesex-township-pa
MLA“Pennsylvania Digital 1 (PAX-1).” Data Center Census, Sep 23, 2026, https://datacentercensus.com/dc/pax-1-middlesex-township-pa.
Linkhttps://datacentercensus.com/dc/pax-1-middlesex-township-pa

Republishing a figure or table? Attribute it to Data Center Census with a link to this page. The underlying data is downloadable as JSON and CSV; the press kit has standing figures and contact details.