TeraWulf data center plan at Morgantown power plant
Also called: TeraWulf Chesapeake, Chesapeake Data, Morgantown Generating Station
Bitcoin miner TeraWulf bought the Morgantown power plant and wants to build a data center campus there, powered by new gas generation up to 1,000 MW. Charles County does not yet have zoning rules that allow data centers.
Where things stand: Federal regulators approved the plant sale July 29, 2026. The data center itself still needs county zoning and other approvals.
🕒 Latest update (July 29, 2026): FERC approved the purchase. It did not approve any data center or new power plant.
What we know
- 📍 WhereMorgantown Generating Station on the Potomac River, Newburg, Unincorporated Charles County, Charles County
- 🏢 CompanyTeraWulf (subsidiary Chesapeake Data)
- 🏛️ Owned byTeraWulf
- ⚡ Power it needs1,000 megawatts (about as much as 800,000 homes)
- 🔌 Where the power comes fromPlans to switch the old plant to natural gas: about 500 MW first, up to 1,000 MW later. The plant now has 216 MW of oil-fired units.
❓ Still unanswered
Nobody has answered these in public yet. Can you help find out?
- Will Charles County adopt rules that allow data centers? 🙋 I'll find out
- How much water would the campus use? 🙋 I'll find out
- How much of the plant's power would stay on the public grid? 🙋 I'll find out
What happened so far
- Feb 2026TeraWulf asked federal regulators (FERC) to approve its purchase of the plant.
- June 1, 2026Charles County Planning Commission voted to recommend denying a zoning change that would allow data centers.
- July 29, 2026FERC approved the purchase. It did not approve any data center or new power plant.
Local votes and rules
🗺️ Zoning change
County commissioners unanimously dropped the zoning change that would have allowed data centers. They will wait for the state's data center report, and staff will come back with options for a task force and a consultant. Any new rules would need a new bill.
✋ Turned down
The planning commission voted unanimously, for the second time, to recommend rejecting a zoning change (ZTA 25-187) that would set where and how data centers could be built. The first time was March 2, 2026. It asked for limits on size, no drinking water for cooling, and community benefit deals.
✋ Turned down
Residents sent in 24 requests for a data center pause and 7 for a ban. None moved forward. County officials said county law does not yet allow data centers to be built.
An aerial photo of the area.
Where this comes from
- TeraWulf lands FERC approval for Maryland power plant · Technical.ly · July 29, 2026
- TeraWulf Data Center, Charles County, MD: Maryland Data Center Series, Pt. 1 · Nature Forward · April 27, 2026
- Maryland data center FAQ · The Banner · Aug 25, 2026
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