SpaceXAI, through its affiliate Tombstone Resources LLC, has applied to Cochise County for a special development permit covering 747 acres near the Willcox Playa. The plan calls for up to nine buildings of 493,000 sq ft each, brought online in four 1.5GW stages, with construction starting in March 2027 if zoning is approved. The company says it will pay for grid upgrades, including $3.6 billion of power infrastructure, $500 million of which is needed for Phase I, and will install a 24GWh battery system. A zoning decision is expected at a December 9 meeting.
At 6GW, the campus would be by far the largest data center in the world, and it compares with the 32GW of net capacity Arizona's grid had in 2024, per Energy Information Administration statistics. Developer-funded grid upgrades and on-site storage meant to shield the state grid from demand swings could become a template for other large-load requests. The article notes that obtaining enough AI accelerators to fill such a site may be a bigger obstacle than power.
The headline names a new US campus announcement (Arizona) with a 6GW capacity claim from SpaceXAI. It is distinct from the earlier SemiAnalysis SpaceX construction-pipeline story, since this one is a specific new Arizona site.