Project Phoenix in Shippingport: What It Means for Site Connectivity
Project announced September 2026
What's happening
Aligned Data Centers announced the groundbreaking of Project Phoenix on September 10, 2026. The campus is planned at 2 GW across three facilities in the Shippingport Industrial Park, next to the former Shippingport Power Station, which is being redeveloped as a natural gas energy campus. Aligned says the campus will run on its own dedicated onsite power rather than the local grid, and that each data center will use a closed-loop cooling system. The release names Holder Construction and Kokosing as partners and estimates about 3,000 construction jobs and 640 full-time operations roles.
Source: Aligned Data Centers (September 2026)
What this means for connectivity
The data halls will get their own carrier-grade fiber. Our angle is everything around them. A crew estimated at thousands of workers, trade trailers, security cameras and commissioning teams on a redeveloped industrial site all need dependable internet that never touches the production network. That's temporary, movable and fast to stand up.
- Jobsite internet kept apart from production. Trade trailers and project offices need their own links, such as satellite, cellular or fixed wireless, that never touch the facility's network.
- Coverage that moves with the work. Point-to-point wireless and portable Wi-Fi cover laydown yards, staging areas and buildings still in progress.
- Security and site cameras. Gate, perimeter and progress cameras need power and backhaul long before permanent systems are ready.
- Commissioning connectivity. Test and commissioning teams need dependable uplinks to upload results and reach vendor support.
- A backup for the construction network. A second path keeps badging, safety systems and schedules running if one link drops.
Install considerations & timeline
| Stage | What to settle |
|---|---|
| Active construction | Stand up trailer and laydown connectivity, kept separate from production networks. |
| Each new building | Extend wireless coverage and cameras as crews move. |
| Commissioning | Provide dependable uplinks for test and vendor teams. |
| Phase closeout | Remove temporary gear and document what stays. |
Related
Data center installation services · Temporary construction communications · Construction connectivity
Frequently asked questions
What is Project Phoenix in Shippingport?
It's a planned 2 GW data center campus from Aligned Data Centers, spanning three facilities in the Shippingport Industrial Park in Shippingport, Pennsylvania. Aligned announced its groundbreaking in September 2026.
How do contractors get internet on a large data center jobsite?
Usually through temporary connectivity that's kept separate from the facility's production network: satellite or cellular terminals at trailers, point-to-point wireless across the site, and Wi-Fi in laydown and staging areas. It can move as the work moves.
When should connectivity be planned on a new building?
Early, during site work or foundations, because fiber circuits have the longest lead times. Pathways and equipment rooms are easiest to settle by MEP rough-in, and failover should be tested before turnover.
Can Starlink be used as a business internet backup?
Yes. A Starlink terminal connected to a firewall with automatic failover takes over when the primary fiber drops. Because it doesn't share buried infrastructure, it protects against cuts and local carrier outages.
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