The $3bn+ Lake Mariner data center campus outside Bufallo, New York is advancing as Schneider comes on board. Cryptominer and AI data center firm TeraWulf has tapped Schneider Electric for power and cooling infrastructure at its flagship campus in New York. The contracted firm this week announced the successful phased delivery of more than $290 million in AI infrastructure solutions for TeraWulf’s Lake Mariner data campus outside Buffalo in New York. Upon full build-out, Lake Mariner is projected to support up to 750MW. Furthermore, it will have the potential to scale to 1GW across multiple buildings.
A former coal power plant, TeraWulf initially mined cryptocurrency at the site before beginning to pivot the 180-acre campus towards AI and HPC uses. Core42 and Fluidstack are live customers at the site, with Fluidstack set to occupy two more buildings later this year in a deal backed by Google. The campus leverages liquid cooling solutions from Motivair. These include direct-to-chip liquid cooling and rear door heat exchangers. It also entails power infrastructure from Schneider Electric, including lithium-ion Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) systems. Despite the advancements of data centers across the US, some such as Microsoft’s $1bn campus in Ohio are facing setbacks. The build, which was expected to energize three locations—New Albany, Heath, and Hebron— ran into some fresh challenges last year that are slowing things down. However, despite the setbacks, projects such as Project Sail data center in Coweta are making headway. Developed by Prologis, the massive 829-acre campus will feature up to nine building.
Outlook on the Lake Mariner Data Center Campus in New York
The Lake Mariner data center campus in New York is one of some that Terawulf is banking on to advance its endeavors. “TeraWulf’s strategy is centered on delivering scalable, energy-efficient infrastructure capable of supporting the increasing intensity of AI and HPC workloads,” said Sean Farrell, chief operating officer at TeraWulf. “By working closely with industry leaders like Schneider Electric and Motivair, we are accelerating the development of AI-ready capacity at our Lake Mariner facilities.
We are also reinforcing the strong operational foundations needed to support long-term customer demand.” The firm still mines crypto at the campus. However, it will be ramping this down as more Fluidstack capacity comes online. “As demand for AI infrastructure accelerates, ‘time to power’ has become a defining constraint on growth. Operators need partners who can bring together advanced infrastructure, services, and expertise in energy technology to underpin large-scale AI data center deployments at pace,” said Manish Kumar, EVP, secure power & data centers at Schneider Electric.
He also noted that their partnership with TeraWulf establishes a strategic blueprint for various aspects. These include pairing on-site power AI-enabled automation, advanced liquid cooling, and digital intelligence at a legacy industrial site. Moreover, he noted that this ensures the firm delivers efficient, and scalable data center solutions at the speed and scale this AI era demands.
Additionally, the Lake Mariner Data Center Campus underscores the momentum of New York’s AI boom, which is driving a broader reset of the state’s energy and data center strategy.
Project Factsheet:
- Project Name: Lake Mariner Data Center Campus
- Location: Buffalo, New York, USA
- Estimated Investment Value: $3bn+ (AI infrastructure expansion: ~$290M+ contracted systems)
- Project Type: Hyperscale AI, HPC and crypto-to-AI data center campus
Timeline
- Original site use: Former coal power plant (pre-crypto era)
- Crypto mining phase: Ongoing legacy operations (gradual wind-down)
- AI/HPC transition: Underway
- Full build-out target: Multi-phase (ongoing, late 2020s scaling)
Site & Scale
- Total campus size: ~180 acres
- Projected capacity: Up to 750MW initially
- Scalable capacity: Up to 1GW across multiple buildings
- Existing operational tenants: Core42, Fluidstack (with expansion planned)
Key Contractors/Stakeholders
- Developer/Operator: TeraWulf
- Infrastructure partner: Schneider Electric
- Cooling technology partner: Motivair
- Key customer (AI capacity expansion): Fluidstack (Google-backed deal)
- Additional tenant: Core42
Infrastructure Scope
- Advanced AI-ready power infrastructure deployment
- Liquid cooling systems (direct-to-chip and rear-door heat exchangers)
- Lithium-ion UPS systems for power reliability
- Phased AI data center build-out across multiple buildings
- Conversion of legacy industrial power site into digital infrastructure hub
Strategic Objectives
- Transition from crypto mining to AI and HPC infrastructure
- Deliver scalable, energy-efficient compute capacity
- Support growing global demand for AI workloads
- Maximize reuse of legacy power plant infrastructure
Current Status
- Schneider Electric infrastructure deployment underway ($290M+ package)
- AI and HPC capacity expansion in progress
- Crypto mining operations still active but reducing
- Multiple tenants already operational with additional expansion planned
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