Possible data center at former Merrimack Station coal plant
Also called: Granite Shore Power Bow project, Merrimack Station data center
News reports say a large data center may be planned in Bow, most likely at the closed Merrimack Station coal plant. The plant's owner asked to study a 350 MW grid connection, but no company has filed plans with the town. The governor opposes it and wants a statewide pause on data centers.
Where things stand: Town confirmed early talks with an unnamed company. No application filed with Bow as of Sept. 29, 2026.
🕒 Latest update (Sept 29, 2026): Select Board chair said the town had no application and no contact with Granite Shore Power since the news came out.
What we know
- 📍 WhereMost likely the closed Merrimack Station power plant on the Merrimack River (not confirmed), Bow, Merrimack County
- 🏢 Companyunknown
- ⚡ Power it needs350 megawatts (about as much as 280,000 homes)
- 🔌 Where the power comes fromGrid power from Eversource. Granite Shore Power asked to study a 350 MW grid connection; an Eversource official spoke of up to 200 MW.
❓ Still unanswered
Nobody has answered these in public yet. Can you help find out?
- Which company wants to build the data center, and who would use it? 🙋 I'll find out
- Is the site the old Merrimack Station plant? Granite Shore Power has not said. 🙋 I'll find out
- Is the project 200 MW or 350 MW? 🙋 I'll find out
- Would it take water from the Merrimack River? 🙋 I'll find out
- Has the town signed a secret deal (NDA) with the company? 🙋 I'll find out
What happened so far
- Sept 2025Merrimack Station, New England's last coal plant, shut down.
- April 2026Granite Shore Power, owner of Merrimack Station, filed with federal regulators (FERC) to start a study with Eversource of a 350 MW grid connection. The filing does not say what the project is.
- Aug 31, 2026The state Consumer Advocate posted that an Eversource official spoke of a data center of up to 200 MW in Bow.
- Sept 1, 2026A Bow official confirmed early talks with a company about a data center in town.
- Sept 22, 2026Bow Select Board held an hour of public comment; most speakers opposed a data center.
- Sept 29, 2026Select Board chair said the town had no application and no contact with Granite Shore Power since the news came out.
Drag the slider to compare the land before and now.
Where this comes from
- Could Bow be home to a new data center? · NHPR / Concord Monitor · Sept 1, 2026
- Granite Shore Power files request with Eversource for review of facility in Bow · WZID · Sept 2026
- Bow residents speak out against proposed data centers · NHPR · Sept 23, 2026
- Protests, policy shifts and power grids: Controversy over New Hampshire data centers intensifies · The Dartmouth · Oct 2026
- Rates and Rights: Don't panic about that data center in Bow · Concord Monitor · Sept 10, 2026
- Esri geocoder point for Merrimack Station · Esri · Oct 8, 2026
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