Community impact
At TeraWulf, we believe progress should power more than technology — it should strengthen the communities we call home.
As we expand operations in Lansing, our goal is to be an active and engaged neighbor, driving local opportunity through meaningful partnerships, workforce development, and economic growth.
Project Impacts
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By repurposing the former Cayuga Power Plant property, Lake Hawkeye Data makes productive use of a site that has supported industrial activity for decades, minimizing the need to clear new land.
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Advanced cooling technology keeps sound levels well within local limits, ensuring minimal impact at the residential property boundary. The campus also features sound mitigation measures, and major equipment is designed to significantly reduce operational noise.
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The project creates meaningful job opportunities for the region — from skilled construction and trade positions during development to permanent technical and facility operations roles.
By hiring locally and engaging regional contractors, Lake Hawkeye Data contributes to workforce growth, supports small businesses, and provides long-term economic stability in the community.
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The project strengthens the region’s digital backbone by extending high-speed broadband infrastructure to and through the site. This investment enhances connectivity not only for the campus itself but also for surrounding communities and local businesses.
Following the “beneficiary pays” principle, all infrastructure improvements are privately funded by TeraWulf, ensuring that local residents and ratepayers bear no additional costs - as confirmed in NYSEG’s recent response to a Request for Information from Assemblymember Anna Kelles.
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Beyond economic investment, TeraWulf is committed to being an active and positive community partner. The Lake Hawkeye project will support local initiatives through charitable contributions and collaboration with public-service organizations.
See the bottom of this page for more on our community and partnership initiatives.
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As part of the site’s transformation, TeraWulf plans to demolish the former power plant stack at Cayuga, a visible step toward retiring legacy infrastructure and transitioning the property for modern use.
View the demolition of the stack at our Lake Mariner facility HERE.
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Lake Hawkeye Data will deliver lasting economic benefits to the Town of Lansing and Tompkins County. Once fully operational, the project is expected to generate millions of dollars in new annual tax revenue to support local schools, emergency services, and municipal infrastructure.
The campus will also create a significant number of high-quality construction and technical jobs while driving demand for local goods and services across the community. From housing and retail to dining and recreation, this investment will help revitalize the local economy and strengthen the town’s long-term fiscal stability.
Community Benefits
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Closed-Loop Cooling
Lake Hawkeye Data will use a closed-loop system requiring only a few gallons of utility water daily.
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Aesthetic Improvements
TeraWulf plans to remove the coal stack and associated lighting to improve lakeside views.
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Tax Base Restoration
Restoration of the tax base from an inactive industrial site, with millions in property tax revenue annually.
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Site & Community Enhancements
Development will include landscaping and shoreline improvements, with the potential for increased public access to the lakefront.
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Economic & Workforce Impact
A sigificant number of construction jobs expected during development as well as full-time operations positions.
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Infrastructure & Regional Investment
Millions of dollars in electrical upgrades with expansion of broadband and digital infrastructure.
Our data center investment contributes directly to Lansing’s future — creating high-quality jobs, generating tax revenue, and collaboration with local organizations, schools, and nonprofits. Together, we’re building not just digital infrastructure, but community resilience and shared prosperity.
strengthening the grid & reducing ratepayer costs
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The Campus connects to the regional grid instead of the local power distribution system. This means our energy use does not impact local power availability or reliability, ensuring the community’s electricity supply remains stable and unaffected by campus operations.
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TeraWulf is covering the entire cost of the NYSEG grid upgrades needed for the project — improvements that would normally be paid for by local customers through their electric rates. In other words, these upgrades strengthen the regional power system at no cost to ratepayers.
See NYSEG confirmation HERE in this RFI request from Assemblymember Anna Kelles.
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Flexible operations allow the Campus to reduce load during peak demand periods, helping maintain reliability across the region.
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The result of these facts is a stronger grid and no measurable impact on local electric rates - ensuring benefits for both the community and the state’s clean energy future.
what actually drives local electric rates?
There’s a lot of confusion about what actually drives local electric rates. In reality, electric bills in Central New York are shaped by natural gas prices, state energy policies, and utility infrastructure costs — not by local data centers.
Key Drivers of Local Electric Bills:
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Natural gas plays a major role in electricity generation, so when gas prices rise, electric rates often follow — historically with about a 92% correlation. Even though your local utility may not generate power directly from natural gas, the wholesale energy markets it buys from are heavily influenced by natural gas costs.
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The “Delivery” portion of your bill covers more than just getting power to your home — it includes grid maintenance, storm recovery, safety inspections, and equipment upgrades. These costs ensure reliable service year-round and are set by state regulators to recover the utility’s actual cost of maintaining and operating the grid.
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A portion of your electric bill supports state-mandated programs — such as renewable energy development, grid modernization, and energy-efficiency initiatives. These charges are embedded in the delivery section of your bill.
Large industrial and commercial energy users pay a greater share of these program costs, while residential customers contribute proportionally less.
Meet our employees
Beyond economic benefits, local job creation fosters connection, pride, and long-term investment in the well-being of the community.
TeraWulf’s Topping Out Ceremony
TeraWulf's latest Topping Out Ceremony reflects months of steady, disciplined progress at our flagship site, Lake Mariner Data. We're extremely grateful for our team and were excited to celebrate them with this ceremony and raffle.
Our Team, In Their Own Words
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“In 2020, I experienced one of the most difficult days of my professional career. The power plant was more than just a workplace—it was a brotherhood and sisterhood built on years of shared purpose.
In 2021, I received a letter inviting all former employees to return to the site to learn about a new venture for the former coal facility. As I drove to the plant, I felt a mix of nerves and excitement. For me, coming back wasn’t just about a job—it was about the company and the people who made it feel like home.
The company not only rehired many of us from the coal plant, but also retrained us for new roles as Data Center Operators, Managers, Electricians, and Maintenance Technicians. Personally, during our final years at the power plant, the company gave me the opportunity to attend school and further my education—something I will always value deeply.
Having a company that truly believes in its people and invests in their growth is rare. TeraWulf is more than a corporation—it’s a community of individuals who care for one another, from the top down.”
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“I started my career — and I emphasize career, not job — at AES Somerset in 2004 as an entry-level employee. After years in positions with little room to grow, Somerset offered real opportunity. The benefits, wages, and potential for advancement made it a turning point in my life.
I advanced from hourly employee to Planner, then Instrumentation and Electrical Manager, and finally Maintenance Manager before the facility closed in 2020. The closure — and laying off colleagues I’d worked beside for years — was the hardest day of my career.
In 2021, I was fortunate to rejoin TeraWulf as Procurement Manager as they transformed the site from a power plant into a modern data center. It was an exciting opportunity to rebuild, rehire former employees, and bring in new talent who shared our work ethic and values. Since then, my role has grown from Procurement Manager to Director of Operations, leading ongoing development.
From an entry-level position to where I am today, this company has provided me every opportunity to grow and provide for my family. I owe it my best work and gratitude for the career it’s helped me build.”
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“I started working with TeraWulf back in 2015 as an operator at the coal-fired power plant. For five years, that plant was more than a job — it was a second home. When it shut down in 2020, it was heartbreaking. Many of us were laid off, myself included, and I wasn’t sure what came next.
I joined the Millwrights Union and spent a year and a half rebuilding hydro and nuclear turbines, staying connected to the energy industry I loved. The work was rewarding, but the travel kept me away from home and my growing family.
Then I got a letter from TeraWulf about a new project — transforming the old coal plant into a state-of-the-art data center. I knew right away I wanted to be part of it. The idea of bringing new life to the site, creating local jobs, and giving former employees a second chance felt like everything had come full circle.
In 2021, I rejoined the TeraWulf team as IT Manager, later became Site Manager, and am now the Site Lead. It’s been an incredible journey — challenging, meaningful, and deeply personal. I’m proud to be part of this company’s new chapter.”
Community & Partnership Initiatives
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TeraWulf’s redevelopment of the former Cayuga power plant aligns with New York State’s Just Transition Site Reuse Planning Program, administered by NYSERDA.
This initiative supports the responsible reuse of former fossil-fuel generation sites to foster new economic activity, create clean-energy and technology jobs, and ensure communities benefit from the State’s transition to a zero-emission grid. By transforming the retired 300-megawatt Cayuga coal facility into a modern digital infrastructure campus, the Cayuga Data Campus embodies the goals of this program—repurposing legacy energy assets for high-value, sustainable uses that strengthen the local economy and advance New York’s clean-energy future.
Learn more about NYSERDA’s Just Transition Site Reuse Program →
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We’re proud to partner with the Lansing Community Council, Inc., whose programs reflect the heart of Lansing — from food assistance and youth services to literacy and emergency energy support.
The TeraWulf Charitable Foundation has donated $50,000 to help fund initiatives like Blue Cabinets, the Lansing Food Bank, Lansing Youth Services, Lansing Loves to Read, and Emergency Energy Assistance.
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Being part of a community means partnership and mutual support — and the Lansing Central School District is a true testament to that spirit.
In gratitude for their generosity in hosting our recent community sessions, the TeraWulf Charitable Foundation and TeraWulf Inc. have made a combined $20,000 donation to support programs and initiatives that benefit Lansing students and families.
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View letters of support from our local contracting partners at the Lake Mariner facility.