Tracking Every Data Center Permit Filed in 2026 — A Running List
Data center construction permits are the most reliable leading indicator of where billions in construction spending will land over the next 18-36 months. A filed permit means a developer has committed capital, secured land, completed design, and received at least preliminary approvals — it's past the announcement stage and into the construction pipeline.
We're tracking every significant data center permit filed in the United States in 2026, updated as new filings become public. This running list covers permits by megawatt capacity, location, developer, and approval status. For contractors, subcontractors, and material suppliers, this is your prospecting list.
Q1 2026 — Major Permits Filed (January-March)
Permits Over 100MW
1. Microsoft — Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin
- Capacity: 315MW (Phase 1 of 630MW campus)
- Estimated construction value: $3.2B
- Building area: 1.2 million SF across 4 data halls
- Permit status: Approved February 2026
- GC: Not yet announced (RFQ issued)
- Notable: Adjacent to Foxconn site. Utility upgrade underway by WE Energies.
2. Amazon/AWS — New Albany, Ohio
- Capacity: 240MW (Phase 3 expansion)
- Estimated construction value: $2.4B
- Building area: 950,000 SF
- Permit status: Approved January 2026
- GC: DPR Construction (continuing from Phase 1-2)
- Notable: Adjacent to Intel fab campus. Power delivered by AEP Ohio.
3. Google — Papillion, Nebraska
- Capacity: 200MW (Phase 2)
- Estimated construction value: $1.8B
- Building area: 800,000 SF
- Permit status: Approved March 2026
- GC: Mortenson
- Notable: Expansion of existing campus. OPPD providing dedicated substation.
4. Meta — Temple, Texas
- Capacity: 180MW (Phase 1 of 500MW campus)
- Estimated construction value: $1.5B
- Building area: 750,000 SF
- Permit status: Under review (filed February 2026)
- GC: Holder Construction
- Notable: New greenfield campus. Community benefit agreement includes $25M local investment.
5. xAI — Memphis, Tennessee
- Capacity: 150MW (Colossus Phase 2 expansion)
- Estimated construction value: $1.2B
- Building area: 600,000 SF
- Permit status: Approved January 2026
- GC: Hensel Phelps
- Notable: Expansion of the original Colossus AI training facility. TVA providing dedicated power feed.
6. CoreWeave — Plano, Texas
- Capacity: 120MW
- Estimated construction value: $1.1B
- Building area: 480,000 SF
- Permit status: Approved February 2026
- GC: Balfour Beatty US
- Notable: AI training focused. Direct liquid cooling throughout.
7. Oracle — Nashville, Tennessee
- Capacity: 110MW
- Estimated construction value: $950M
- Building area: 440,000 SF
- Permit status: Under review (filed March 2026)
- GC: Not yet announced
- Notable: Part of Oracle's cloud infrastructure expansion following HQ relocation.
Permits 50-100MW
8. Equinix — Ashburn, Virginia
- Capacity: 95MW (new campus)
- Estimated construction value: $850M
- Permit status: Approved January 2026
- GC: Whiting-Turner
9. Digital Realty — Hillsboro, Oregon
- Capacity: 85MW (expansion)
- Estimated construction value: $720M
- Permit status: Approved February 2026
- GC: Fortis Construction
10. CyrusOne — Chandler, Arizona
- Capacity: 80MW
- Estimated construction value: $680M
- Permit status: Under review (filed January 2026)
- GC: DPR Construction
11. QTS (Blackstone) — Manassas, Virginia
- Capacity: 75MW (Phase 4)
- Estimated construction value: $640M
- Permit status: Approved March 2026
- GC: Clark Construction
12. Microsoft — Cheyenne, Wyoming
- Capacity: 70MW
- Estimated construction value: $600M
- Permit status: Approved February 2026
- GC: Mortenson
- Notable: Renewable energy focused. Wind power purchase agreement.
13. Amazon/AWS — Hermiston, Oregon
- Capacity: 65MW
- Estimated construction value: $550M
- Permit status: Under review (filed March 2026)
- GC: Not yet announced
14. Apple — Mesa, Arizona
- Capacity: 60MW (expansion)
- Estimated construction value: $480M
- Permit status: Approved January 2026
- GC: Holder Construction
15. Compass Datacenters — Goodyear, Arizona
- Capacity: 55MW
- Estimated construction value: $420M
- Permit status: Approved February 2026
- GC: Self-performed (Compass internal construction)
16. Meta — DeKalb, Illinois
- Capacity: 55MW (Phase 2)
- Estimated construction value: $400M
- Permit status: Under review (filed February 2026)
- GC: Mortenson
17. EdgeCore — Sterling, Virginia
- Capacity: 52MW
- Estimated construction value: $380M
- Permit status: Approved March 2026
- GC: Turner Construction
18. Google — Midlothian, Texas
- Capacity: 50MW (Phase 3)
- Estimated construction value: $370M
- Permit status: Approved January 2026
- GC: DPR Construction
19. Microsoft — West Jordan, Utah
- Capacity: 50MW
- Estimated construction value: $360M
- Permit status: Under review (filed March 2026)
- GC: Hensel Phelps
20. Vantage Data Centers — Santa Clara, California
- Capacity: 50MW (major retrofit and expansion)
- Estimated construction value: $340M
- Permit status: Under review (filed February 2026)
- GC: Cupertino Electric (electrical lead), Rudolph and Sletten (GC)
Q1 2026 Summary Statistics
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total permits tracked | 20 major permits (50MW+) |
| Total MW permitted/filed | 2,192 MW |
| Total estimated construction value | $18.8B |
| Average construction value per MW | $8.6M |
| States represented | 14 |
| Most active state | Virginia (3 permits), Texas (3 permits) |
| Most active developer | Microsoft (3 permits, 435MW) |
| Most active GC | DPR Construction (3 projects), Mortenson (3 projects) |
State Approval Speed — How Fast Are Permits Moving?
One of the most important factors for developers and contractors is how quickly permits move through the approval process. Based on 2025-2026 data, here's how major data center states compare:
| State | Average Permit Timeline | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | 45-90 days | Fastest major market. Business-friendly process. |
| Ohio | 60-120 days | Streamlined for data centers in designated zones |
| Indiana | 60-120 days | New expedited process for qualifying projects |
| Tennessee | 60-120 days | TVA service territory offers coordinated permitting |
| Nebraska | 75-120 days | Fast, but fewer projects to evaluate |
| Georgia | 90-150 days | County-dependent; Fulton slower, others faster |
| Arizona | 90-150 days | Water assessment adds time in some jurisdictions |
| Virginia | 120-240 days | Longest in major market; special exception process in Loudoun |
| Oregon | 120-180 days | Environmental review can add time |
| California | 180-360+ days | CEQA review is primary bottleneck |
Virginia's permitting timeline is particularly notable. Despite being the world's largest data center market, Loudoun County's special exception process — adopted in response to community concerns about data center proliferation — has added 4-8 months to the permitting timeline. This has accelerated the geographic diversification of data center construction, as developers redirect investment to faster-permitting states.
Texas benefits from the opposite dynamic. Minimal zoning restrictions, expedited building permit review, and a political environment that actively welcomes data center development have made DFW and San Antonio among the fastest markets to bring a data center from concept to construction start.
The construction spending forecast tracks how permitting speeds affect overall market activity. States that can move permits in under 90 days are capturing a disproportionate share of new investment.
What the Permit Data Tells Us About 2026
Several trends emerge from the Q1 2026 permit data:
AI Facilities Dominate
Of the 20 major permits tracked, at least 8 are explicitly designed for AI training or AI-capable workloads (requiring liquid cooling and high-density power). This confirms that the AI buildout is the primary growth driver in data center construction.
Geographic Diversification Continues
Permits were filed in 14 different states in Q1 alone, compared to 10 states for all of Q1 2025. The geographic expansion of data center construction is accelerating, driven by power constraints in established markets, competitive state incentive programs, and the need for geographic diversity in AI infrastructure.
Average Project Size is Growing
The average permitted capacity in Q1 2026 is 110MW per project, up from approximately 70MW in Q1 2025. Projects are getting larger as hyperscalers seek to consolidate capacity in fewer, larger campuses. This trend favors larger contractors with the bonding capacity and workforce to handle $500M+ projects.
Construction Values Continue to Rise
Average construction cost per MW increased from $7.5M in 2025 to $8.6M in Q1 2026, reflecting both inflation and the higher construction costs associated with AI-ready facilities. Higher power densities require more cooling infrastructure, more copper, more steel, and more specialized labor per megawatt.
How Contractors Should Use This Data
This permit tracker serves several practical purposes for construction firms:
Prospecting: Every permit filing represents a potential project. If a hyperscaler files a permit in your geographic area, that's a signal to initiate outreach to their construction team or the likely GC. Early engagement — before the bid list is finalized — is critical in the data center market.
Workforce planning: The geographic distribution of permits tells you where labor demand will be highest over the next 12-24 months. If multiple large permits are filed in a market where you operate, plan for labor competition and wage pressure.
Material procurement: Large data center permits drive demand for copper, switchgear, generators, and transformers. If you see a cluster of permits in your region, expect lead times on these items to extend further.
Strategic positioning: If you're considering geographic expansion into the data center market, the permit data shows you where the work is heading. Markets with multiple active permits and short approval timelines offer the best near-term opportunity.
We'll continue updating this tracker quarterly. For broader market context, the data center construction forecast provides the macro-level spending outlook that frames these individual permit filings.
Deep Dive — The Virginia Permitting Bottleneck
Virginia's permitting story deserves special attention because it illustrates how regulatory dynamics directly affect the national construction pipeline.
Loudoun County adopted a special exception process for data centers in 2023, requiring each new facility to undergo individual review by the Board of Supervisors. Before this change, data centers were permitted by-right in most commercial and industrial zones — a developer filed plans, met building code requirements, and received a permit within 60-90 days.
Under the special exception process, each data center application requires:
- A community impact statement addressing noise, traffic, visual impact, and environmental effects
- Public hearing before the Planning Commission
- Public hearing before the Board of Supervisors
- Potential conditions of approval including setbacks, landscaping, noise mitigation, and community benefit contributions
The result: permitting timelines in Loudoun County have stretched from 60-90 days to 6-12 months, and several proposed facilities have faced organized community opposition that further delayed approvals. In 2025, at least three proposed Loudoun County data centers were denied or withdrawn due to community concerns.
This regulatory friction has had measurable effects on national construction patterns. An estimated $3-5B in data center construction that would have been permitted in Virginia in 2025-2026 has instead been redirected to Texas, Ohio, Indiana, and Georgia — states where permitting remains faster and community opposition is less organized.
For contractors, the lesson is clear: permitting speed is now a competitive factor in site selection that directly determines where construction dollars flow. Building relationships with local planning departments and understanding the entitlement landscape in your target markets is as important as your technical capabilities.
Understanding Permit Categories — What Each Type Means for Contractors
Not all data center permits are created equal. Understanding the categories helps contractors assess the real construction timeline:
Building permit (shell and core): The primary construction permit covering structural, architectural, and site work. This permit initiates the major construction phase and typically represents 20-30% of total project value.
Mechanical permit: Covers HVAC, plumbing, and fire protection systems. Filed separately from the building permit in many jurisdictions. The mechanical scope represents 20-25% of total project value.
Electrical permit: Covers all electrical systems from the main service entrance to individual branch circuits. Given the massive electrical scope in data centers (35-45% of total project value), the electrical permit is often the most complex and detailed.
Grading and site work permit: Covers earthwork, stormwater management, and utility connections. Often the first permit issued, allowing site preparation to begin while building permits are still in review.
Generator installation permit: In some jurisdictions, the diesel generator installation requires a separate permit from the air quality management district, addressing emissions, fuel storage, and noise. This permit can add 30-60 days to the generator installation timeline.
Demolition permit: For brownfield sites or expansions that involve removing existing structures. Generally fast (2-4 weeks) but can be complicated by hazardous materials assessments.
For contractors tracking the permit pipeline, the key milestone is the building permit approval — that's the signal that construction will begin within 30-60 days.
Material Supply Chain Implications of Q1 Permits
The 2,192 MW of data center capacity permitted in Q1 2026 will generate massive material demand over the next 18-24 months. Here's what these permits mean for key supply chains:
Copper wire and cable: An estimated 80-120 million pounds of copper will be needed for the Q1 permitted projects alone. At current copper prices of $4.50/lb, that's $360-540M in copper procurement. Electrical contractors servicing these projects need to secure copper supply agreements now.
Medium voltage switchgear: Approximately 150-200 switchgear lineups will be needed, with a combined value of $600M-$1.2B. Given 40-60 week lead times, any switchgear not already on order for Q1 permitted projects will arrive in Q3-Q4 2027 at the earliest.
Generators: Approximately 1,500-2,500 generators will be required across Q1 permitted projects, representing $750M-$2.5B in equipment procurement. Generator manufacturers are running at capacity, and any significant increase in order volume will extend lead times further.
Structural steel: Approximately 50,000-80,000 tons of structural steel will be needed, valued at $38-61M. Steel supply is generally adequate, but fabrication capacity for data center-specific configurations may be constrained.
Concrete: Approximately 500,000-800,000 cubic yards of concrete will be needed, valued at $80-160M. Concrete supply is generally available, but the concentrated geographic demand (multiple large pours in the same metro area) may require coordination among ready-mix suppliers.
Upcoming Q2 2026 Filings — What We're Watching
Based on developer announcements, land acquisitions, and utility interconnection filings, we expect significant additional permits in Q2 2026:
- Microsoft campus in Madison County, Indiana (estimated 400MW+) — land clearing already underway
- Amazon expansion in Northern Virginia (estimated 200MW+) — utility agreement signed with Dominion
- Google new campus in South Carolina (estimated 150MW+) — state incentive agreement finalized
- Meta campus in Louisiana (estimated 100MW+) — first major Louisiana data center
- Multiple CoreWeave and AI startup facilities across Texas and the Midwest
We'll cover each of these as permits are officially filed. The Q2 pipeline suggests 2026 total data center permit volume will significantly exceed 2025, consistent with the $35B construction spending forecast for the year.
This is the most active data center construction market in history, and every permit filing represents both a construction opportunity and a competitive signal. Track them carefully — they're your roadmap to where the work is going.
READ NEXT: 2026 Data Center Construction Forecast — What's Coming Next
