Proposed Data Center Projects

Project Washington, a hyperscale data center campus proposed for Delaware City:

We know the most about Project Washington, so there is a lot here about that project. Scroll down for information on other data center developments that have been filed with New Castle County.

• In June 2025, a permit was submitted for a data center facility that would use 1.2 gigawatts (GW) of energy, take up more than 6 million gross square feet, and have 2 campuses on either side of Red Lion Creek with 11, 2-story buildings
  • 1 Gigawatt (GW) is a BILLION watts, and the Hoover Dam produces about 2 GW of power
  • 1.2 GW is more than twice the amount of energy used by all the homes in Delaware
  • Bringing this data center online would be the equivalent of taking the Salem/Hope Creek Power Plant or about half of all the natural gas power Delaware currently produces out of the PJM energy markets, leaving Delaware residents and businesses to pay more for the energy that is left.
• One of the parcels would need a zoning change from suburban to industrial or heavy industrial. Part of the site is situated in a sensitive wetland and mature forests. The southern portion would be allowed "by right" under the current New Castle County zoning laws. Both areas are within the coastal zone, in a flood zone, and near the Delaware City Refinery
• In addition to the Delaware City Refinery, which has already been a significant concern for surrounding residents, plans are underway for approximately 410,000 square feet of proposed logistical warehouses in the immediate area and another 6 million square feet within a few miles of the facility. These are essential considerations when planning for future growth.
• Originally, the data center developers stated they would be using an open-loop, air-cooled system for their buildings. This is by far the cheapest and fastest option to deploy, but it is also the noisiest option. Since June, the developers have now stated they would be willing to install a closed-loop air-cooled system, which could reduce water impacts compared to an open-loop system but would do nothing to reduce the noise issues or reduce their overall energy use by much, even if they stick to that plan. There is currently no law or code that would prevent them from walking back that commitment.

Environmental Impact

• Despite some parcels of the land being used for agriculture, portions of the site feature over 40 acres of wetlands and both mature and immature forest land (County Rating of Tier 2 and 3 forests). These features are crucial for maintaining air quality, mitigating floods, and preserving wildlife habitats.
• The suburban zoned parcel on which this is being proposed is already identified as a flood hazard. The construction of this center would increase the amount of impervious land and reduce the amount of water that naturally seeps back into the ground after flooding events, impacting local stormwater management. 
  • The Red Lion Watershed, where the parcel is identified, already has a D+ rating. This means that the state is actively trying to repair the watershed. Red Lion Creek has already experienced several flash flooding events in 2025.
  • Due to the scale of this data center, the number of diesel generators for the Delaware City Project has been confirmed to exceed 510, each of which must be tested at least once per month. That means over 20 generators have to be run every day for 20-30 minutes each.

Utility Impacts

An important fact to consider is that Delaware is in one of many “import zones” within the PJM footprint (our regional grid). That means we use more power than we produce, so we have to import power from areas of the grid that produce more than they need. This is not inherently a problem, but it does impact the planning and costs for new or expanded energy needs in the area.

• Adding a large increase in energy demand in an “import zone” will cause energy prices to increase from:
  • Increased from transmission congestion (too much power on too few transmission lines)
  • Increased capacity auction costs (in other areas with large data centers, this has led to double and triple-digit increases on monthly residential energy bills)
  • Increased transmission infrastructure is needed to bring in additional energy
  • Decreased availability of energy on the regional market for utilities to purchase for other customers
• Since the project is proposed in the Coastal Zone, building a traditional power plant on site is prohibited under current law. Power will come from the grid in one way or another. Given that PJM has already flagged a potential for a power shortage in energy and capacity across the entire PJM footprint, adding this large energy user will have a profoundly negative impact on the energy markets in our region.
• There are currently no protections to shield Delawareans from having to pay for additional transmission upgrades for a large data center. For example, this project is sited next to an existing substation that brings power from the Hope Creek Nuclear Plant to Delaware for reliability purposes. Ratepayers have already paid millions to build this infrastructure, which this data center will rely on, according to their current plans. That means Delmarva Power may need to build new transmission lines from other power plants in the region to serve Delaware customers currently relying on power from the Hope Creek Plant. Without a very specific state policy in place, ratepayers would have to shoulder that cost.
• In July, all states in the region have seen higher electric bills from unsustainable growth in demand, primarily driven by data centers. In Delaware, the impact was approximately $10 per month on average. However, states with these large data centers saw increases ranging from $60 to over $100 per month on residential electric bills. The most recent capacity auction saw the price for our DPL region increase by 263% due mainly to data center growth in the region.
• This data center is unique for the nation, let alone Delaware, in terms of the proposed facility's size and its location in an area already facing an energy shortage. For context, this proposed 1.2 Gigawatt (1200 MegaWatts) data center would utilize approximately 8.7 million MWh of energy per year once fully operational. As of the end of 2024, the largest data center in terms of power in the nation "only" used about 1.375 million MWh of energy (about 1/8th the power needed for the proposed Delaware City data center). In Delaware, we have 6 data centers currently in operation, the largest of which uses about 3 MegaWatts of power. The largest energy user in the state is the Delaware City Refiner, which uses about 87 MegaWatts of power.

Noise

• Red is the proposed site plan
• Green is existing housing
• Yellow and Blue lines are 1000ft each 
• Pink circles are the 24/7 Noise Zone heavily impacted by low frequency noise (less severe noise can travel for up to 2 miles)

• The diesel generators can produce loud noise for nearby residents, and the fans for air cooled systems located on the roof of data centers run 24/7 and can produce a low “hum” or “drone” sound that is noticeable to people nearby.
• These low-frequency noises from the cooling fans can have noticeable impacts on homes even up to 3,000 feet from the facility. 
  • This low-frequency noise affects the brain even when it is inaudible, though many report it sounding like a loud humming noise. These noises disturb sleep patterns, causing nightmares and migraines, and impacting both mental and cardiovascular health, as well as causing significant stress for both people and wildlife. As the fans start to wear down, the noise turns into an oscillating pattern that can actually vibrate structures up to a mile away.
  • These impacts are not avoided with traditional sound buffers or trees and require total enclosures of cooling technology or shifting to a different type of cooling that is less reliant on fans to address.
  • There are 2 communities, Rutledge and Monterey Farms, multiple single homes, faith centers, a child care center, and other places of interest for the community 500 - 1,500 feet from the facility

Where are the proposed parcels?
 

• Parcel ID: 10-049.00-073 is currently zoned “S” Suburban but identified in the New Castle Comprehensive Plan 2050 as a future Business Flex zoning, and would require a change to “I”  Industrial zoning in order for a data center to be built
• Parcel ID: 12-002.00-025 is identified as “South Campus”. That is zoned heavy industrial, which means that the plan would be allowed “by right” under current zoning laws.

"Frightland Project":

Link to Project Details

Located on the existing Frightland grounds, around Port Penn Rd, in Middletown, the proposed project encompasses three tax parcels located south of the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal, east of U.S. Route 13, and north of Port Penn Road, totaling approximately 1,362 +/- acres.

The northern portion of the site is currently zoned Business Park (BP). This area is proposed for development with three (3) buildings, including guardhouses, totaling approximately 6.5MM square feet. The Northern portion of this development includes 3 warehouse buildings, assumed based on information in the application to be used for data centers, totaling 6,482,000 square feet. In terms of square footage, this is as much or slightly more total square feet as Project Washington detailed above.

Based on industry averages, can be expected to use between 600 and 1000 Megawatts of energy.

No details have been released on the type of cooling system that would be used, any onsite power generation, or water impacts.

The southern portion of the property is zoned Suburban (S). On this portion of the site, an open space planned subdivision is proposed, consisting of 366 dwelling units across approximately 299 +/- acres. This puts new planned residential communities directly in harms way of yet another hyperscale data center.

May involve Coastal Zone limitations, State Wetland, Historic Area, and Floodplain

Noted Watershed Eco, LLC. reviewed background information and conducted a wetland delineation at the Lighthouse Farm property and determined that palustrine forested wetlands, palustrine emergent wetlands, estuarine emergent wetlands, open water ponds, and intermittent and perennial streams are located within the subject property. These wetlands and waters would be classified as Section 404 and Section 10 Waters regulated by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and DNREC. 

Nearby Neighborhoods: Pine Valley Farms, Airmont Acres, Hyett’s Crossing 

White Clay Creek Business Park: "The Newark Project":

Link to Project Details

According to the Newark Post, "The site is owned by Shelbourne, a New York-based company that owns 8 million square feet of commercial real estate nationwide. Shelbourne filed exploratory plans that call for demolishing the seven existing buildings and replacing them with three light industrial buildings and a guard shack. The proposed use is listed as a data center.

Though the site borders the City of Newark, it is not within the city’s municipal boundaries. Therefore, the project will go through New Castle County’s development process."

4.08± acres, consisting of seven tax parcels located on the south side of Ogletown Road, immediately east of the corporate limits of the City of Newark. The proposed plan contemplates the demolition of seven (7) existing structures and the comprehensive redevelopment of the site as an industrial park consisting of three (3) new buildings with a combined gross floor area (GFA) of approximately 848,300 square feet situated on two (2) parcels.

Based on industry averages, can be expected to use between 130 and 250 Megawatts of energy.

No details have been released on the type of cooling system that would be used, any onsite power generation, or water impacts.

The site is zoned I (Industrial). The proposed use is defined as Information Services (NAICS 51) pursuant to Section 40.33.270.D of the UDC. As you know, this Light Industry use category is permitted by-right (i.e., designated with a “Y” in the table) as confirmed in the adopted UDC Table 40.03.110.B. Accordingly, the proposed development fully complies with all applicable use standards and requirements of the UDC. Without guardrails, this project cannot be stopped.

Nearby Neighborhoods: Located approximately 400 feet from residential developments, including Paramount Senior Living Center, Carrington Way Apartments, and Newark Commons. Also around the facility are Carlton Court Apts., Hidden Creek Commons, Newark Oak Subdivision, Windy Hills, Cool Run, Brookside, and student housing for the University of Delaware.

Additional Sources:

https://journals.lww.com/nohe/fulltext/2004/06230/low_frequency_noise_and_annoyance.6.aspx#:~:text=An%20approximate%20estimate%20is%20that,group%20which%20generates%20many%20complaints

https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/data-centers-and-water-consumption

https://dnrec.delaware.gov/watershed-stewardship/wetlands/assessments/red-lion/

https://ceds.org/datacenter/

https://www3.newcastlede.gov/PDFDocument/default.aspx?DocumentID=80:FC40FF5826FBF7107D10260598B6C0724428DD1196872F86C5E68CE881F951C295991F471021F2CD6542378DED803576&x=temp.pdf

https://spotlightdelaware.org/2025/07/20/proposed-delaware-data-center-energy/

https://cc-techgroup.com/largest-data-centers-in-the-us/

https://www3.newcastlede.gov/project/details/default.aspx?ProjectKey=826803

https://www3.newcastlede.gov/project/details/default.aspx?ProjectKey=826789