Data center profile · Near Wakarusa, unincorporated Shawnee County, Kansas (SW 77th Street, southwest of Topeka)

Compass Topeka Campus

Compass Datacenters' proposed 400 MW (IT capacity) speculative campus on 607.6 acres near Wakarusa, Shawnee County, Kansas, with no tenant and a county vote frozen until Feb. 2027

Pending, vote frozen. Compass filed its conditional use permit July 24, 2026; deemed complete Sept. 9, 2026. No hearing is set; a county moratorium bars approval or denial until Feb. 17, 2027. No customer, executed electric service agreement or water agreement on record.
400 MW
critical IT capacity at full build-out
Compass filing; site demand of 500 to 600 MW (developer says)
$4.5B
stated total investment, ten buildings
about $450M a building (company)
607.6 acres
site, zoned light industrial
land under purchase agreement, closing only after permit approval
Feb. 17, 2027
county moratorium runs to this date; earliest county vote follows
six-month moratorium adopted Aug. 13, 2026, by 2 to 1
OperatorCompass Datacenters, LLC (applicant, planned owner-operator)
CustomerNone identified (Compass says the campus is speculative)
Planned IT capacity400 MW at full build-out (our estimate from the company or utility power figure)
Next deadlineFeb. 17, 2027: First date the county commissioners may vote on the permit (a Planning Commission hearing may come earlier; none is scheduled)
Permits

Permits checklist

2 pending · 2 granted · 1 checked, nothing on file

Approvals a campus like this normally needs (including an air permit for backup or on-site generators), and what we found.

Risks

Why it stopped, what could revive it

Power

Power and the grid

None energized or contracted yet

Evergy grid service (critical IT capacity at full build-out)Proposed, no service agreement signed
400 MW
Compass filing; Evergy would build a substation, 115 kV at first and 230 kV at build-out Local government · Oct. 2026
Total site electrical demand (developer estimate)Estimate
600 MW
500 to 600 MW at full build-out including cooling and overhead Local government · Oct. 2026
Proposed
Backup generators (emergency use, not a power supply)

Getting on the grid

Who supplies what, what it costs, and what is still not public.

  1. Nov. 6, 2025
    State approves the large-load rate plan
    The Kansas Corporation Commission approves Evergy's tariff for customers above 75 MW: 12 to 17 year terms, an 80% minimum bill and two years of collateral. Utility regulator · Oct. 2026
  2. As of Aug. 2026
    No executed agreement for Compass
    Evergy reported five executed large-load agreements in total; none is on record for this campus. News report · Oct. 2026
  3. Aug. 28, 2026
    Substation plan filed
    Compass says Evergy would design and build the substation with Phase 1 and upgrade to 230 kV in Phase 2, with Compass paying. Local government · Oct. 2026
  4. Not set
    Electric service agreement: not signed
    Any contract would fall under the 2025 tariff terms; none is on record. News report · Oct. 2026

What is next door

campus6.52 km · gas pipeline14.57 km · 345 kV+ substation14.58 km · 345 kV+ linecampus6.52 km · gas pipeline14.57 km · 345 kV+ substation14.58 km · 345 kV+ line

Distances from mapped lines and plants. OpenStreetMap · Oct. 2026

Money

Money on record

$4.5B
stated total investment
ten buildings at about $450M each (company) Company · Aug. 2026
80%
minimum monthly power bill under the Evergy tariff
plus two years of collateral and an exit fee for early termination Utility regulator · Oct. 2026
17 years
longest contract term under the tariff
12-year minimum plus up to 5-year ramp Utility regulator · Oct. 2026
$250M
investment needed for the state tax exemption
20-year exemption; no application located for this campus State agency · Oct. 2026

Not on record: financing or tenant lease: land closes 60 to 90 days after permit approval Local government · Oct. 2026

Timeline

What happened, and what is due

SitePaper trailConstructionPowerPermitsMoneyLegalUpcoming
  1. Nov. 6, 2025
    Power Kansas regulators approve Evergy's large-load rate plan. Utility regulator · Oct. 2026
  2. June 8, 2026
    Permits Shawnee County lets data centers apply by conditional use permit. Local government · Oct. 2026
  3. July 14, 2026
    Permits The City of Topeka adopts a 12-month data center moratorium. Local government · Oct. 2026
  4. July 24, 2026
    Site Compass files its permit application for a ten-building, 400 MW campus. Local government · Oct. 2026
  5. Aug. 4, 2026
    Permits The county rules the application incomplete. News report · Oct. 2026
  6. Aug. 11, 2026
    Permits Topeka extends its moratorium to bar city water and sewer hookups for data centers, including outside city limits. Local government · Oct. 2026
  7. Aug. 13, 2026
    Permits The county commission adopts a six-month moratorium, 2 to 1, freezing final action on this case. News report · Oct. 2026
  8. Aug. 28, 2026
    Permits Compass refiles with an expanded operations plan, confirming 400 MW is IT capacity. Local government · Oct. 2026
  9. Sept. 9, 2026
    Permits The county deems the application complete; no hearing is scheduled. Local government · Oct. 2026
  10. Oct. 14, 2026
    Site Topeka staff float annexing the site; council members and the mayor push back. News report · Oct. 2026
  11. Feb. 17, 2027
    Permits County moratorium ends; commissioners cannot decide the permit before then. News report · Oct. 2026
The buildings

Specs

10 buildings
single-story, built in phases
Local government · Oct. 2026
420 generators
standby units at build-out (400 critical-load plus 20 building units)
Local government · Oct. 2026
2.4M gallons a year
campus water demand, applicant estimate; rural water district, no agreement yet
Local government · Oct. 2026
300 jobs
estimated at full build-out (applicant)
Local government · Oct. 2026
2028 to 2031
construction window, full operation in 2031 (company)
Company · Oct. 2026
Who is involved

Owners, partners and builders

Developer
  • Compass Datacenters, LLC (Dallas): applicant and planned long-term owner-operator
  • Terracon: environmental consultant; Trinity Consultants: air quality review
  • Salute Mission Critical: operations staffing partner
Landowner
  • Unnamed current owner: land purchase agreement, closing after permit approval
Decision-makers
  • Shawnee County Board of County Commissioners: final vote (Cook and Mays backed the moratorium, Riphahn opposed)
  • Shawnee County Planning Commission: hearing and recommendation
  • Kansas Corporation Commission: approved the large-load tariff
Power and review
  • Evergy Kansas Central: serving utility and substation owner
  • Cook, Flatt & Strobel Engineers: county's third-party technical reviewer
Still unknown

Open questions

Where this comes from

142 records from 24 documents

Drawn from news reports, local government records, company statements, public and commercial datasets, utility regulator dockets, state agency records and court filings, each kept with its date and source. The bar shows documents by type.

News report 10Local government 4Company 4Dataset 3Utility regulator 2State agency 2Court filing 1
Evidence

Every quote behind this page

Grade key: A = the primary record itself (permit, filing, exhibit) · B = a dated official statement · C = news reporting. Map distances are our own measurements on OpenStreetMap and carry no grade. Allegations in lawsuits are marked as such in the quotes.

Power (21)
  • IT capacity: 400 MW
    “The 400 MW figure referenced in the application is the estimated Critical (IT) Load at final build-out.”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
  • Utility service: 600 MW
    “Based on Compass's typical operating Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE), total estimated site electrical demand at final build-out is approximately 500-600 MW.”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
  • Stated campus size: not stated
    “At full build-out, the campus will total approximately 400 MW of critical load.”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
  • On-site generation: 800 MW
    “At final build out, the campus is anticipated to have four hundred twenty (420) standby generators, comprising four hundred (400) 2MW critical load generators and twenty (20) building house generators.”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
  • Utility: Evergy
    “Utility service is provided by Evergy, beginning on the existing 115 kV transmission system and transitioning to an extended 230 kV line as the campus builds out to its full 400 MW critical load.”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
  • Power plan: grid, new on-site Evergy utility substation (115 kV initial, 230 kV at build-out); no on-site prime generation
    “Construction of the Utility Substation commences with Phase 1 of the Project and is completed and energized in coordination with the Ready-for-Service (RFS) date of the first data center building.”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
  • Compass files the expanded revised CUP package (Operations Plan v0.2, revised and alternate site plans, revised acoustical study, photometrics) answering the county's Aug 4 items, including the explicit clarification th
    “The 400 MW figure referenced in the application is the estimated Critical (IT) Load at final build-out.”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
  • Utility: Evergy (Evergy Kansas Central) - serving utility; Compass states the site sits near an existing Evergy substation with high-voltage transmission through the property, and its Operations Plan describes service be
    “The site sits near an existing Evergy substation, and high-voltage transmission lines already run through the property”
    Company · Oct. 2026 · grade B
  • Nearest power line of 345 kV or more: 14.58 km
    Measured on OpenStreetMap map data.
    OpenStreetMap · Oct. 2026
  • Nearest substation of 345 kV or more: 14.57 km
    Measured on OpenStreetMap map data.
    OpenStreetMap · Oct. 2026
  • Nearest gas pipeline: 6.52 km
    Measured on OpenStreetMap map data.
    OpenStreetMap · Oct. 2026
  • IT capacity: 400 MW
    “Utility service is provided by Evergy, beginning on the existing 115 kV transmission system and transitioning to an extended 230 kV line as the campus builds out to its full 400 MW critical load”
    Local government · Aug. 2026 · grade B
  • IT capacity: 400 MW
    “Utility service is provided by Evergy, beginning on the existing 115 kV transmission system and transitioning to an extended 230 kV line as the campus builds out to its full 400 MW critical load”
    Local government · Aug. 2026 · grade B
  • Interconnection status: Evergy Kansas Central service planned via a dedicated on-site utility substation (built with Phase 1, built out for 230 kV from the start): initial service on the existing 115 kV system, transmiss
    “Transmission service is delivered to the substation initially at 115 kV. Transmission line circuits are installed by Evergy into the completed substation in a phased manner corresponding to the Project's building phasing”
    Company · Aug. 2026 · grade B
  • large load interconnection request: planned - phased Evergy transmission service, 115 kV initial transitioning to 230 kV at/after Phase 2; Evergy load ramp not yet confirmed
    “Phase 4 8 320 MW ~ 400 - 480 MW Phase 5 (final) 10 400 MW ~ 500 - 600 MW”
    Company · Aug. 2026 · grade B
  • IT capacity: 400 MW
    “At full build-out, the campus will total approximately 400 MW of critical load”
    Company · Oct. 2026 · grade C
  • Registry status: Announced, pre-approval: Compass's Shawnee County CUP application CU-26-203 (filed July 24, 2026) was determined incomplete on Aug. 4, 2026 and deemed complete on Sept. 9, 2026 after a second filing; no hearing
    “Compass Datacenters applied for a Conditional Use Permit on July 24, but the Shawnee County Land Use & Development made an official determination on Aug. 4 that the application was incomplete”
    News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
  • Electric service agreement signed: not stated
    “Only two of those five are in Kansas, with developers Beale Infrastructure and Digital Realty.”
    News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
  • Portfolio context (NOT campus MW): Evergy reports five executed LLPS data-center ESAs totaling ~2.5 GW of steady-state peak, Beale Infrastructure and Digital Realty in Kansas, Meta and two Google projects in Missouri,
    “Campbell touted five executed energy service agreements for data center projects under our LLPS tariffs”
    News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
  • IT capacity: 400 MW
    “At full build-out, the campus will total approximately 400 MW of critical load”
    Company · Aug. 2026 · grade C
  • Kansas LLPS tariff framework (NOT this campus): KCC-approved Evergy large-load tariff for facilities over 75 MW requires 12-year contracts, minimum 80% demand payments and customer-funded transmission upgrades - the term
    “Regulators approved Evergy's new large-load tariff for facilities over 75 MW, requiring 12-year contracts, minimum 80% demand payments, and customer-funded transmission upgrades”
    News report · Nov. 2025 · grade C
Money and contracts (27)
  • Tenants: none identified
    “While we do not have a customer identified for this site, our building design allows any of our customers to use it.”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
  • Tenant status: speculative, no tenant; identity confirmed only at lease execution, timing controlled by the tenant
    “Typically, tenant identity is confirmed at the time of lease execution, but timing is controlled by the tenant.”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
  • Land control: under Land Purchase Agreement with the current landowner; closing conditioned on CUP approval, expected 60-90 days after approval
    “Compass is currently under a Land Purchase Agreement (LPA) with the current owner of the Project parcel. The LPA is subject to standard closing conditions, including approval of the Conditional Use Permit.”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
  • Water source: Rural Water District (unnamed in the filing) under the county-based alternative; on-site wastewater treatment and lagoon system
    “potable water service would be provided by the applicable Rural Water District, subject to final utility agreements, engineering design, and provider approval”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
  • Land Purchase Agreement (executed; closing pending): scope
    “Compass is currently under a Land Purchase Agreement (LPA) with the current owner of the Project parcel.”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
  • Land Purchase Agreement (executed; closing pending): condition precedent
    “The LPA is subject to standard closing conditions, including approval of the Conditional Use Permit.”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
  • Land Purchase Agreement (executed; closing pending): timing
    “Completion of the land purchase is anticipated to occur following CUP approval by the Board of County Commissioners and is expected to close within approximately 60 to 90 days after CUP approval.”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
  • Land Purchase Agreement (executed; closing pending): ownership / no-resale
    “Compass will maintain ownership of the land after construction has commenced. Compass's business model is to develop, own, and operate the data center campus for the long term. The Project is not a merchant development for resale.”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
  • Interconnection / utility easement (framework described in CUP filing): ownership
    “Evergy owns the Utility Substation infrastructure and all associated equipment within the substation upon completion of construction. The land underneath and immediately surrounding the substation remains in Compass ownership, subject to the exclusive utility easement granted to Evergy.”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
  • Interconnection / utility easement (framework described in CUP filing): construction responsibility
    “Compass pays for all substations and infrastructure required to power our campus. Evergy is responsible for the design and construction of the Utility Substation and the associated transmission-line interconnection.”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
  • Interconnection / utility easement (framework described in CUP filing): timing
    “A subsequent upgrade to increase the transmission voltage from 115 kV to 230 kV is planned to occur during Phase 2 of the Project, in coordination with the increasing campus load.”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
  • Water service agreement, NOT EXECUTED (finding): missing agreement, no executed water agreement
    “potable water service would be provided by the applicable Rural Water District, subject to final utility agreements, engineering design, and provider approval”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
  • Large Load Power Service (LLPS) tariff, approved framework; governs any future Compass ESA: applicability 75 MW peak minimum
    “creating a Large Load Power Service (LLPS) rate plan that is designed to serve electric customers requiring greater than 75 megawatts of peak power consumption”
    Utility regulator · Oct. 2026 · grade B
  • Large Load Power Service (LLPS) tariff, approved framework; governs any future Compass ESA: term
    “The contract term will be a minimum of 12 years, plus an optional load ramp period of up to 5 years, which most customers are expected to use, for a total contract length of 17 years.”
    Utility regulator · Oct. 2026 · grade B
  • Large Load Power Service (LLPS) tariff, approved framework; governs any future Compass ESA: minimum bill 80 % of contract demand
    “Customers on the plan will pay a minimum monthly bill based on 80% of their contract demand, regardless of actual usage.”
    Utility regulator · Oct. 2026 · grade B
  • Large Load Power Service (LLPS) tariff, approved framework; governs any future Compass ESA: collateral
    “They will also be required to provide collateral equal to two years of minimum monthly bills.”
    Utility regulator · Oct. 2026 · grade B
  • Large Load Power Service (LLPS) tariff, approved framework; governs any future Compass ESA: termination / exit fee
    “If the contract is terminated early, an exit fee will apply that will require the customer to pay all minimum bills that would have been billed had the customer continued service.”
    Utility regulator · Oct. 2026 · grade B
  • Large Load Power Service (LLPS) tariff, approved framework; governs any future Compass ESA: cost assignment
    “any system upgrades that are necessary solely to serve the new/expanded customers will be directly assigned to the new/expanded customer”
    Utility regulator · Oct. 2026 · grade B
  • State incentive, SB 98 Data Center Sales Tax Exemption (statutory program; no campus award located): benefit 20 years
    “Kansas Senate Bill 98 (SB98), enacted in 2025, establishes a 20-year state and local tax exemption designed to attract large-scale, permanent data center developments to the State of Kansas.”
    State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade B
  • State incentive, SB 98 Data Center Sales Tax Exemption (statutory program; no campus award located): investment threshold 250000000 USD
    “Invest at least $250 million in eligible data center costs and complete this investment within five (5) years after the commencement of operations”
    State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade B
  • State incentive, SB 98 Data Center Sales Tax Exemption (statutory program; no campus award located): jobs 20 new full-time jobs
    “Creating twenty (20) new full-time jobs with Kansas residents within 2 years of commencing operations.”
    State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade B
  • State incentive, SB 98 Data Center Sales Tax Exemption (statutory program; no campus award located): power purchase condition 10 years
    “Must enter into a ten-year (10) electricity purchase agreement with the utility certified to provide retail electric service at the project location”
    State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade B
  • State incentive, SB 98 Data Center Sales Tax Exemption (statutory program; no campus award located): security review
    “Every applicant must undergo a comprehensive review by the Kansas Intelligence Fusion Center (KIFC), with final approval from the Fusion Center Oversight Board.”
    State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade B
  • State incentive, SB 98 Data Center Sales Tax Exemption (statutory program; no campus award located): missing agreement, no campus application or certification located
    “This program is not intended for projects entailing a developer owning a facility and is reliant on unrelated occupants to generate the qualifying terms of the program.”
    State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade B
  • Evergy endorsement of Compass reproduced in the applicant's revised filing, the utility calls Compass a solid, well-financed operator and a desirable customer (quoted by the applicant; treat as applicant-presented)
    “We want to make sure that we're picking somebody that will ultimately be a good customer for the people we serve. We've been very, very impressed with Compass.”
    Company · Oct. 2026 · grade B
  • Investment announced: $4.5 billion total for a ten-building campus (approximately $450 million per building), per Compass's own Topeka project page
    “The $4.5 billion is the total investment for a ten-building campus, roughly $450 million per building”
    Company · Aug. 2026 · grade B
  • Electric service agreement (ESA), NOT EXECUTED (finding): missing agreement, no executed ESA
    “Campbell touted five executed energy service agreements for data center projects under our LLPS tariffs, securing the strong protections that the tariff requires for current customers.”
    News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
Permits and government (41)
  • Name: Compass Datacenters Topeka Campus
    “Compass Datacenters requests a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) to develop and operate a data center campus on approximately 607.6 acres in unincorporated Shawnee County, zoned I-1 (Light Industrial)”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
  • Site acres: 607.6 acres
    “Compass Datacenters requests a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) to develop and operate a data center campus on approximately 607.6 acres”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
  • Zoning: I-1 (Light Industrial)
    “zoned I-1 (Light Industrial)”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
  • conditional use permit: application submitted
    “Compass Datacenters requests a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) to develop and operate a data center campus on approximately 607.6 acres in unincorporated Shawnee County, zoned I-1 (Light Industrial), located along SW 77th Street.”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
  • conditional use permit: supplemental (revised) application submitted
    “the other supplemental exhibits accompanying this response, address each item identified in the County's August 4, 2026 correspondence”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
  • tariff order: Order on Settlement Agreement approved
    “In the Matter of the Application of Evergy Kansas Metro, Inc., Evergy Kansas South, Inc., and Evergy Kansas Central, Inc. for Approval of Large Load Service Rate Plan and Associated Tariffs. 25-1859 – Order on Settlement Agreement”
    Utility regulator · Oct. 2026 · grade A
  • air quality pre-application: pre-application referenced by applicant
    “Generator air emissions are addressed under the applicable KDHE Bureau of Air approval, with the total campus generator inventory established through that pre-application”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
  • KCC approves Evergy's Large Load Power Service tariff (Docket 25-EKME-315-TAR, Order 25-1859), the rate framework (≥75 MW, 12+5-year terms, 80% minimum bill, 2-year collateral, exit fee) that any Compass Topeka power co
    “In the Matter of the Application of Evergy Kansas Metro, Inc., Evergy Kansas South, Inc., and Evergy Kansas Central, Inc. for Approval of Large Load Service Rate Plan and Associated Tariffs.”
    Utility regulator · Oct. 2026 · grade A
  • Kansas Corporation Commission: Docket No. 25-EKME-315-TAR, Order 25-1859, Order on Settlement Agreement (Evergy Large Load Power Service rate plan)
    “25-1859 – Order on Settlement Agreement Commissioner Keen moved to approve the Order. Commissioner Kuether seconded the motion. The order was approved.”
    Utility regulator · Oct. 2026 · grade A
  • Construction stage: none - no construction and no CUP approval; application filed Jul 24, 2026, ruled incomplete, supplemental filing Aug 28, 2026 deemed complete Sep 1, 2026 (per Compass); no hearing scheduled as of Sep
    “The CUP application shows the campus would include up to ten buildings, built in phases”
    Company · Oct. 2026 · grade B
  • FAA status: No FAA OE/AAA case attributable to Compass: 150 case-instances across the three Shawnee County circles are homes, towers and utility work
    “FAA OE/AAA circle pulls at 39.041446,-95.756433, 39.0473,-95.6752 and 38.99,-95.705 (5 NM, 2021-2026): 38, 44 and 68 cases”
    FAA · Oct. 2026 · grade B
  • Stage: announced only
    “As of September 9th, the Compass Data Centers application was deemed complete by Shawnee County. Review will proceed, although no public hearing has been scheduled at the time of this memorandum.”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
  • Construction stage: none, no CUP approval, no construction
    “Review will proceed, although no public hearing has been scheduled at the time of this memorandum.”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
  • First announced: July 24, 2026
    “Developer Compass Data Centers submitted their conditional use permit application to Shawnee County on July 24, 2026.”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
  • zoning text amendment: adopted
    “On June 8, 2026 the Shawnee County Commission adopted an amendment to the County's zoning regulations. The County's amendment provides for data centers and energy storage systems to be permitted by conditional use permit”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
  • moratorium (city): adopted
    “On July 14, 2026, Topeka's Governing Body adopted a twelve-month temporary moratorium on the acceptance, processing, and approval of data center applications. (Ordinance No. 20670)”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
  • moratorium amendment (city): adopted
    “The Governing Body amended the moratorium on August 11, 2026, clarifying that the moratorium on city utility connections applies both inside and outside city limits. (Ordinance No. 20677)”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
  • conditional use permit: application deemed complete
    “As of September 9th, the Compass Data Centers application was deemed complete by Shawnee County.”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
  • conditional use permit: no public hearing scheduled (status)
    “Review will proceed, although no public hearing has been scheduled at the time of this memorandum.”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
  • Shawnee County adopts zoning amendment (HR-2026003) making data centers a conditional use in RA-1, RR-1, I-1 and I-2, creating the CUP path Compass files under six weeks later
    “On June 8, 2026 the Shawnee County Commission adopted an amendment to the County's zoning regulations.”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
  • City of Topeka adopts a unanimous 12-month data center moratorium (Ordinance 20670) two weeks before Compass files in the county, city action does not reach the unincorporated site but signals the political environment
    “On July 14, 2026, Topeka's Governing Body adopted a twelve-month temporary moratorium on the acceptance, processing, and approval of data center applications. (Ordinance No. 20670)”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
  • Compass files CUP application CU-26-203 with Shawnee County, first public act for the campus after roughly a year of quiet site evaluation
    “Developer Compass Data Centers submitted their conditional use permit application to Shawnee County on July 24, 2026.”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
  • CU-26-203 deemed complete by county Land Use & Development after the second filing; no public hearing scheduled, the case cannot receive final Board action before Feb 18, 2027 under the moratorium
    “As of September 9th, the Compass Data Centers application was deemed complete by Shawnee County. Review will proceed, although no public hearing has been scheduled at the time of this memorandum.”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
  • Shawnee County Commission: Adoption of county zoning amendment (HR-2026003): data centers and energy storage systems permitted by conditional use permit in RA-1, RR-1, I-1, I-2
    “On June 8, 2026 the Shawnee County Commission adopted an amendment to the County's zoning regulations.”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
  • City of Topeka Governing Body: Ordinance No. 20670, twelve-month temporary moratorium on acceptance, processing and approval of data center applications
    “On July 14, 2026, Topeka's Governing Body adopted a twelve-month temporary moratorium on the acceptance, processing, and approval of data center applications. (Ordinance No. 20670)”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
  • Topeka Planning Commission: ACZR26/05, discussion item: framework for future zoning text amendments on data centers and energy storage systems; staff memo records Compass CU-26-203 status (application deemed complete Se
    “At the September 21st meeting staff will give a brief presentation of draft definitions and a list of issues to be addressed.”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
  • fee schedule: fee raised
    “the commission approved raising permit fees as an effort to create a cost recovery structure for CUP applications regarding solar facilities, data centers and energy storage systems”
    News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
  • conditional use permit: application determined incomplete
    “On Aug. 4, the Shawnee County Land Use and Development announced that Compass had provided an incomplete Conditional Use Permit application”
    News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
  • moratorium (county): adopted, final action on CU-26-203 suspended
    “The Board of County Commissioners shall not approve, deny, or otherwise take final action on the case of Compass Data Centers.”
    News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
  • County raises the nonrefundable CUP application fee for data center / solar / energy-storage cases from $7,000 to $15,000 as a cost-recovery measure
    “It raised the nonrefundable fee from $7,000 to $15,000.”
    News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
  • County Land Use & Development determines the CUP application incomplete, first procedural setback; Compass commits to refile by the Aug 28 deadline
    “We're working closely with Shawnee County staff to provide the additional materials they've requested and plan to refile (Compass spokesperson)”
    News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
  • Topeka amends its moratorium (Ordinance 20677) to bar city water/wastewater connections for data centers inside AND outside city limits, cutting off Compass's stated preferred water/sewer option for the county site duri
    “The Topeka City Council on Aug. 11 unanimously approved expanding a data center moratorium to include restricting utility connections inside and outside of city limits for data centers”
    News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
  • County hires Cook, Flatt & Strobel Engineers as independent on-call reviewer for data center applications; county counselor notes a protective CUP must be drafted even if the Board intends to vote no in February
    “Even if you intend to vote no or you vote no in February, a (Conditional Use Permit) still has to be drafted.”
    News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
  • Topeka city staff float annexing the Compass site land; council members object to raising annexation during the moratorium and the mayor questions island annexation, a live city-county jurisdiction tension over an uninc
    “I've always been really had some personal issues with island annexation (Mayor Spencer Duncan)”
    News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
  • Compass Datacenters (applicant-hosted public open house): Community open house on the proposed Topeka campus, 7 p.m., Washburn Rural High School Innovation Center; Compass leaders Brett Collard (SVP Land Development) and
    “The company was to host a 7 p.m. open house meeting July 28 at Washburn Rural High School's Innovation Center.”
    News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
  • City of Topeka Governing Body: Ordinance No. 20677, moratorium amended: city utility (water/wastewater) connections for data centers barred inside and outside city limits absent governing-body authorization
    “The Topeka City Council on Aug. 11 unanimously approved expanding a data center moratorium to include restricting utility connections inside and outside of city limits for data centers”
    News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
  • Shawnee County Board of County Commissioners: Six-month moratorium on data center applications (resolution filed by the county counselor on behalf of Commissioner Kevin Cook)
    “Shawnee County Commissioners Kevin Cook and Aaron Mays on Aug. 13 approved a six-month moratorium on data center applications in Shawnee County. Commissioner Bill Riphahn voted against the moratorium.”
    News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
  • Shawnee County Board of County Commissioners: Award of on-call engineering services contract for data center applications to Cook, Flatt & Strobel Engineers (CFS), independent third-party technical review of data center
    “Commissioners Kevin Cook, Aaron Mays and Bill Riphahn approved for Cook, Flatt & Strobel Engineers (CFS) to provide on-call technical review and consulting services for zoning and land use applications involving data centers.”
    News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
  • City of Topeka Governing Body: City staff exploration of annexing the Compass Datacenters site land (island annexation discussion)
    “Councilwoman Christina Valdivia-Alcala said staff members are putting the cart before the horse.”
    News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
  • Site acres: 607.6 acres
    “Compass Datacenters requests a Conditional Use Permit (CUP) to develop and operate a data center campus on approximately 607.6 acres in unincorporated Shawnee County, zoned I-1 (Light Industrial), located along SW 77th Street”
    Company · Aug. 2026 · grade C
  • Project status: Announced only / speculative: CUP application (CU-26-203, filed Jul 24, 2026, revised Aug 28, 2026) determined incomplete; city and county moratoriums temporarily block approval (county moratorium approve
    “the company's conditional use permit application was determined to be incomplete, and the city and county have both imposed moratoriums that temporarily block government approval”
    News report · Aug. 2026 · grade C
Site and other (12)
  • Developer: Compass Datacenters, LLC
    “Prepared and submitted on behalf of Compass Datacenters, LLC. Brian Feldman, VP Development, Compass Datacenters, LLC”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
  • County: Shawnee County
    “develop and operate a data center campus on approximately 607.6 acres in unincorporated Shawnee County”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
  • Address: SW 77th Street frontage, Wakarusa area, unincorporated Shawnee County, KS
    “located along SW 77th Street”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
  • Buildings count: 10 buildings
    “The Project consists of ten single-story data center buildings developed in phases”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
  • Water use: 2400000 gallons/year
    “The average annual demand (~2.4 million gallons per year for the entire campus) reflects actual anticipated operation where humidification runs only intermittently.”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
  • Campus jobs: 300
    “an estimated 300 personnel in total throughout the 10-building campus”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
  • County code: 20177
    “FCC census block find for latitude 38.927907 longitude -95.719995 returned County FIPS 20177, name Shawnee County”
    Dataset · Oct. 2026 · grade B
  • Compass published a project website (compassdatacenters.com/topeka) and an Aug 14, 2026 cjonline opinion column addressing Shawnee County concerns, and held a community open house - while simultaneously disclosing on its
    “While we do not have a customer identified for this site, our building design allows any of our customers to utilize it”
    Company · Aug. 2026 · grade B
  • Original target date: 2031
    “Construction of the Topeka campus will take place in phases from 2028 to 2031. We expect the campus to be fully operational in 2031.”
    Company · Oct. 2026 · grade C
  • Current target date: 2031
    “Construction of the Topeka campus will take place in phases from 2028 to 2031. We expect the campus to be fully operational in 2031.”
    Company · Oct. 2026 · grade C
  • Compass hosts a public open house (Washburn Rural High School); leaders decline to name a customer, describe single-tenant hyperscale campuses, and say Compass will pay 100% of upgrade costs; some residents call the proc
    “Leaders declined to confirm exact customers, instead described them as the largest hyperscale customers in the world and that their campuses are single tenant facilities”
    News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
  • Shawnee County adopts its own six-month data center moratorium 2-1 after sustained resident pressure over transparency; final action on CU-26-203 is frozen until Feb 18, 2027 while review continues
    “All of you that comment on Facebook, we see it. We read it. We read the positive comments made, not many. We read all of the negative comments that you make, there's a lot. (Commissioner Kevin Cook)”
    News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C