Data centers are coming for rural America
Not a pilot. A 1.4M-sq-ft former paper mill in rural Maine is being converted into a data center—the first of many repurposed industrial sites powering America's AI infrastructure boom.
Why it matters
AI's compute hunger is reshaping rural America. Repurposed industrial facilities are becoming the backbone of distributed data center networks, offering cheaper power, land, and labor—while reviving economically hollowed towns.
The key facts
6 to knowAndroscoggin paper mill in Jay, Maine: 1.4 million square feet
Mill closure: 2020 (pulp digester explosion)
Acquisition: 2023 via JGT2 Redevelopment joint venture
Conversion timeline: 3-year cleanup and machinery removal completed by 2026
Location advantage: Rural Maine offers lower power costs and industrial real estate availability
Broader trend: Data centers targeting repurposed industrial sites in economically distressed regions
Go to the source
The Verge AItheverge.com
Publisher excerpt: At its peak, the Androscoggin paper mill in Jay, Maine, a rural town about 67 miles northwest of Portland, employed about 1,500 people - until a pulp digester exploded in 2020, forcing the mill to close permanently. In 2023, the 1.4 million-square-foot facility was purchased through a joint venture…