When Amazon announced its $10 billion data center investment in North Carolina, we made a promise to be a good neighbor. A project of this scale raises questions; that's why we're hosting an open house on Sept. 1, so you can meet our project team and ask them directly.
Am I paying for your electricity?
No. Amazon pays transmission costs at rates established by utility regulators to ensure we’re covering the full cost of the electricity we use — a commitment we formalized by signing the Ratepayer Protection Pledge. An independent study confirmed that Amazon pays for its own electricity costs, and, in some regions, more than the cost needed to power its facilities, creating surplus revenues that utilities can reinvest in grid modernization for the benefit of all customers.
How much water will you use?
We’ll rely on outside natural air cooling for about 93% of the year and only use water during the hottest parts of the hottest days. This also reduces our electricity demand by 25–35% when the grid experiences peak loads.
Once fully built out, our campus will use an average of 57 million gallons of water per year, drawn from existing surplus capacity in the Richmond County water system. This is water it can supply beyond what current customers need, and that amount represents just 3.3% of that surplus. We’re also investing $34 million in public water and sewer infrastructure improvements at no cost to ratepayers. This project will not affect water bills.
We've also partnered with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to restore 20,000 acres of longleaf pine forests in the Pee Dee River basin, the primary watershed for Richmond County. This will help replenish an expected 422 million gallons annually — more than seven times what our campus will use for cooling each year — while improving water quality and creating an ecological boost for local wildlife.
Will your generators affect air quality?
Our backup generators exist to ensure uninterrupted service for our customers during rare transmission-level power service disruptions. They run on average 10 hours per year, mostly for brief midday maintenance and readiness tests.
Our generators comply with all environmental regulations, but we go further, voluntarily investing in advanced emissions control technology that significantly lowers nitrogen oxides by 90%, particulate matter by 70%, and carbon monoxide by 80%, well below required levels.
What does this mean for the community?
Our investment is creating more than 500 new full-time data center jobs with competitive pay and benefits, and supporting thousands more in the supply chain. We've partnered with Richmond Community College to launch paid pre-apprenticeship programs and fiber optic splicing training that connects program completers directly to local hiring managers. We've heard from residents that they're choosing to stay in Richmond County because of these opportunities.
At a recent networking event in Hamlet, residents spoke directly with Amazon employees about career paths and training — some have already accepted full-time roles. The talent is here — we just need to make sure people know the door is open.
We're also working with many North Carolina-based subcontractors on construction, employing local workers.
Our project will generate significant new tax revenue for local governments, funding schools, fire departments, and other essential services. We’ve partnered with the City of Hamlet Fire Department on a $1.5 million investment in a new substation, trucks, equipment, and staffing, enhancing public safety for southeastern Hamlet and surrounding communities.
And we're listening. We've awarded $200,000 in grants to 28 local nonprofits, schools, and community members to address gaps they identified — from expanding STEM education to ensuring families have access to nutritious food.
We build data centers responsibly because we want the communities around them to thrive. We look forward to showing you what that looks like on Sept. 1.
