FAQ
How will the Hawesville community benefit?
The project is expected to create meaningful employment, including full-time, construction, and contracted positions. Beyond direct employment, it will materially strengthen the local tax base, benefiting schools, public services, and long-term community investment through ongoing partnerships with local organizations.
How many jobs are expected and when?
The development is projected to create significant, well-paid construction jobs over a multi-year buildout, followed by permanent, high-quality roles upon completion. End tenants and ongoing service providers are also expected to create additional permanent positions over time.
Where will the workforce come from?
TeraWulf intends to retain a significant portion of the workforce from existing and former site employees, with remaining roles filled by talent from surrounding communities.
TeraWulf intends to work with the Green River Area Development District to host a local hiring event in the upcoming months, post future jobs, and develop specialized workforce training programs related to the project - such as a new curriculum at the Owensboro Community and Technical College.
Will the campus use water from the Ohio River?
No. The campus will use a sealed, closed-loop cooling system that requires only minimal utility water and does not consume or discharge water during normal operations. Heat is rejected through air-to-fluid exchangers, eliminating the need for evaporative or open-loop cooling towers. The river will not be a water source.
Will there be noise impacts?
No. Advanced cooling technology keeps operational sound levels below 55 dBA, roughly equivalent to a normal conversation, and well below local limits. Noise is expected to be inaudible at the property line.
Will the project raise electricity prices?
No. By leveraging the site’s existing, unused transmission infrastructure, the campus avoids new utility buildout. Once placed into service, this infrastructure is expected to support lower transmission costs across the cooperative system, benefiting all customers.
What about environmental impacts?
The development plan includes full demolition and environmental remediation of the former smelter. The project avoids new land disturbance, uses efficient closed-loop cooling, and is expected to participate in demand-response programs that supports grid efficiency.
When will operations begin?
Site development is underway, with initial operations expected to begin in mid-to-late 2027, subject to site planning and permitting.
How large could the campus become?
The initial phased buildout uses existing power available on-site today of approximately 480 MW, with the potential for further expansion over time if additional electricity generation—developed and funded by the data campus—is brought online. The site includes 250 buildable acres.
What will the site look like?
The campus will consist of modern, low-profile, one- to two-story modular data center buildings. Select existing structures will be reused, while the cooling tower and former aluminum smelting infrastructure are expected to be demolished, improving the site’s overall visual profile.
What will the compute be used for?
The campus will support AI workloads, including technologies that enable data analysis, pattern recognition, and intelligent computing applications.
What is the seller’s role going forward?
As part of the transaction, the seller will retain a small, non-controlling minority interest in the Hawesville development entity. This interest carries no voting or governance rights and does not involve participation in development or operations. The interest is puttable at the seller’s option beginning one year after data center operations commence, subject to the terms of the governing agreements.
Will there be a community meeting or opportunities for public engagement?
Yes. TeraWulf plans to host several community information sessions as the project progresses to keep local stakeholders informed and to provide updates on development milestones. In addition, this dedicated project website will be maintained to share key information and updates related to the project.