Kenilworth, NJ · Union County · 40.676°N 74.291°W
CoreWeave NEST Campus
CoreWeave
Key facts
- Location
- Kenilworth, NJ, Union County
- Capacity
- 250 MW planned
- Powered by
- on-site power (former Merck campus infrastructure) + PSE&G grid
- Announced
- 2025
- Last updated
Civic impact
Economics
- Investment
- $1.8B
- Land
- 27 acres
- Jobs
- 143 permanent
Energy & water
- Energy source
- Grid · Utility: PSE&G
- Cooling
- Closed-loop
Grid-served via PSE&G (PJM), which conducted load studies and committed grid infrastructure. The site is a former Merck research campus; reports of a legacy on-site power plant and substation are unconfirmed in primary sources.
The mayor states the facility uses a closed-loop cooling system that avoids continuous use of local water; no volume (MGD) is disclosed.
Public subsidies
- New Jersey EDA 'Next New Jersey — AI' tax credit — up to $250M ($50M/year for five years, performance-based, 10-year retention); CoreWeave was the first award under the program, which NJ later frozeNew Jersey · 2025
Community sentiment
The mayor backs the project as filling the economic gap left by Merck's departure, and CoreWeave is New Jersey-based. But residents circulated a petition with 1,500+ signatures citing water, flood-risk, and electricity-cost concerns, and the state froze the incentive program after broader backlash over power costs.
AI data center under construction in Kenilworth draws mixed reactions from residents — News 12 New JerseyStatus history
- Permitted
Awarded $250M NJ state tax credit under new EDA program; CoreWeave purchased former Merck campus on Galloping Hill Rd for $322M
CoreWeave begins $1.8B data center project in Kenilworth — Real Estate NJ - Under construction
Construction began September 2025; 392,600 sq ft facility; operational target early 2027
AI Data Center Under Construction in Kenilworth draws mixed reactions — News 12 NJ
Location
Sources & data provenance
Reported: data based on credible news outlets or industry sources.
Last updated:
- Real Estate NJRetrieved:
- News 12 New JerseyRetrieved:
- News 12 New JerseyRetrieved:
- Data Center DynamicsRetrieved:
- NJ Economic Development AuthorityRetrieved:
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