From orbit
The site from above
1From orbit
Alcoa Massena smelter complex
Latest clear satellite view, Oct. 6, 2026.
Power
Power and the grid
435 MW energized
Existing NYISO-approved grid connection (St. Lawrence hydro region, via NYPA)Approved for existing site
approved capacity; about 166 MW is used by today's bitcoin mining (press); applicant says all studies cover this amount Local government · Oct. 2026
Additional large-load requestPending
requested in 2025, pending at NYISO; applicant says the expansion does not depend on it Local government · Oct. 2026
Energized nowProposed
Backup generators (emergency use, not a power supply)
- Backup diesel generators Planned64 units planned, cut from 314 in the redesign; no air permit found Local government · Oct. 2026
Getting on the grid
Who supplies what, what it costs, and what is still not public.
- 2020435 MW connection applied forThe existing operation applied in 2020 and later won state grid-operator approval to build it. News report · Oct. 2026
- Oct. 21, 2025Second large-load request in the queueThe NYISO queue (Feb. 2026 snapshot) lists a 200 MW additional large-load request for this site with a July 2027 in-service date, awaiting assessment (as reported). State agency · Feb. 2026
- May 21, 2026Applicant describes the power basisNo new generation, existing approved capacity reallocated, full market rates and no discounted state hydro allocation. Local government · Oct. 2026
- June 18, 2026Federal regulator questions NYISO's large-load rulesFERC ordered NYISO to show cause why its tariff adequately handles large-load interconnection (press). News report · Oct. 2026
- Not setElectric service agreement or NYPA contract: none foundNo executed service agreement and no NYPA allocation or contract for NCCS appears in the record. Local government · Oct. 2026
Queue positions on record
- Jan. 22, 2020NYISO queue 0979176 MW, large load listed in NYISO queue, at Reynolds 115kV - the former Reynolds Metals plant where the campus operates State agency · Feb. 2026
- Oct. 21, 2025NYISO queue 1751200 MW, in queue, at NYPA - HW1 and HW2 (345kV) Lines - at Haverstock Substation Dataset · Oct. 2026
- A 345/765 kV substation (Massena, NYPA) is 9.26 km from the site and a 345 kV line 2.34 km away (OpenStreetMap). OpenStreetMap · Oct. 2026
- Residents told the Town Board that the local electric department is not receiving its full contracted 23.6 MW, which they tie to high winter bills; NCCS has pledged to cover added costs to local ratepayers. Local government · Oct. 2026
- NYISO's Feb. 2026 queue lists the existing operation, under the name North Country Data Center, at 176 MW on a 115 kV connection, below the 435 MW approval reported in the press. Dataset · Oct. 2026
What is next door
Distances from mapped lines and plants. OpenStreetMap · Oct. 2026
Permits
Permits checklist
3 pending · 2 checked, nothing on file
- ◷Site plan and minor subdivision PendingTown of Massena Planning Board · June 25, 2026: filed Apr. 2026; official submission June 25; redesign filed Aug. 2026 Local government · Oct. 2026
- ◷Zoning use question (are data centers allowed in the Industrial zone?) PendingTown of Massena Zoning Board of Appeals · June 25, 2026: referred 4-0; county staff say not permitted; town is rewriting the zone code Local government · Oct. 2026
- ◷Environmental review lead agency (SEQR) PendingTown of Massena Planning Board · Sept. 17, 2026: coordination packages not yet sent; 30-day clock starts when they are Local government · Oct. 2026
- –Checked, nothing on file: State environmental discretionary permits, Air or discharge permits
Risks
What could slow it down
- HighZoning may not allow itCounty planning staff concluded data centers are not permitted in the Industrial zone; the town is rewriting the zone code while the zoning board holds the question. Local government · Oct. 2026
- HighState pause on large data centersExecutive Order 62 holds state discretionary permits in abeyance; the applicant says it needs none, and the state has not confirmed that (press). News report · Oct. 2026
- MediumEnvironmental review not startedNo lead agency is designated, and the planning board cannot evaluate the form until a 30-day coordination period runs. see Permits
- MediumTenant and power unverifiedOne unnamed tenant is claimed; 200 MW of the 635 MW still awaits grid-operator review, and no power contract is public. Local government · Oct. 2026
- MediumOrganized local and tribal oppositionPetitions drew 800 and 500 signatures and the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne asked the town to postpone decisions (press). News report · Oct. 2026
- WatchLand still owned by AlcoaNYDIG's purchase is in advanced talks but closing is not confirmed. News report · Oct. 2026
Lawsuits
1 case on record
- Filed (date not given) Mintvest Capital v. Coinmint and NYDIG principalsnot stated in the record News report · Oct. 2026claims about the Oct. 2024 Coinmint deal; it concerns the former operator, not the expansion permits (press)
Money
Money on record
$7M + $3M
proposed host-community payments
$7M when the first building energizes, $3M at full energization; applicant's outline, not signed Local government · Oct. 2026
$3M a year
proposed annual payment, inflation-adjusted
for 15 to 30 years; not executed Local government · Oct. 2026
$250,000
consultant escrow the town required
raised from $100,000; signed Sept. 17, 2026 Local government · Oct. 2026
~$200M
reported value of NYDIG's Oct. 2024 deal for Coinmint, the former operator
press, from a lawsuit by a Coinmint investor News report · Oct. 2026
Not on record: tax abatement, state power allocation or purchase of the land closed: Alcoa sale talks reported Apr. 2026, no property tax deal on record Local government · Oct. 2026
Timeline
What happened, and what is due
SitePaper trailConstructionPowerPermitsMoneyLegalUpcoming
- 2018Site Alcoa leases the East smelter site to Coinmint for bitcoin mining (10-year lease, press) News report · Oct. 2026
- 2020Power Operator applies for a 435 MW grid connection; later approved News report · Oct. 2026
- Oct. 28, 2024Money A lawsuit by Mintvest Capital alleges NYDIG effectively acquired Coinmint for about $200M (press); the ownership chain is contested News report · Oct. 2026
- April 1, 2026Permits Initial site plan and subdivision application filed with the town Local government · Oct. 2026
- April 17, 2026Site Alcoa's CEO confirms advanced talks to sell the site to NYDIG; closing unconfirmed (press) News report · Oct. 2026
- May 21, 2026Site NCCS and NYDIG present the expansion to the planning board for the first time Local government · Oct. 2026
- June 25, 2026Permits Planning board accepts the official application and refers the zoning question to the zoning board (4-0) Local government · Oct. 2026
- July 14, 2026Permits Governor's Executive Order 62 pauses state discretionary permits for new large data centers State agency · Oct. 2026
- Aug. 20, 2026Construction NCCS presents a redesign: two buildings, about 870,000 sq ft, 64 generators, one tenant Local government · Oct. 2026
- Sept. 16, 2026Permits Town board rejects a six-month data-center moratorium 3-2 and approves the $250,000 escrow News report · Oct. 2026
- Sept. 17, 2026Permits Planning board is told environmental review packages have not been sent Local government · Oct. 2026
- Oct. 15, 2026Permits Site Plan Review #1 on the planning board agenda again Local government · Oct. 2026
- Oct. 2026Permits State comment deadline on the scope of the data-center environmental study News report · Oct. 2026
Construction activity
Satellite captures by quarter
Since April 2024: 2 satellite captures.
Satellite
’25
’26
Dot size: records in the quarter, largest = 1. Two-digit years mark each first quarter.
The buildings
Specs
2 buildings, ~870,000 sq ft
redesigned plan; the earlier plan was 3 buildings and 1.5M sq ft
- Closed-loop cooling: stated in the redesign Local government · Oct. 2026
Who is involved
Owners, partners and builders
Owners
- North Country Colocation Services (NCCS): developer and operator
- New York Digital Investment Group (NYDIG): applicant of record; parent of both is Stone Ridge Holdings Group (applicant statement)
- Alcoa Corporation: current landowner, in talks to sell
Decision-makers
- Town of Massena Planning Board, Zoning Board of Appeals and Town Board
- St. Lawrence County Planning Board
- NYSDEC and the state Department of Public Service
Power
- NYPA and NYISO: interconnection studies
- Massena Electric Department: local utility
Former operator
- Coinmint: ran the mining campus from 2018 until NYDIG's 2024 deal
Opponents
- Local petition groups and the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne
Still unknown
Open questions
- Tenant name and lease terms.
- Whether the zoning board or a code rewrite allows data centers on the site.
- Outcome of the 200 MW grid request and any power contract.
- Whether Executive Order 62 applies to this project.
Where this comes from
175 records from 30 documents
Drawn from news reports, local government records, state agency records, public and commercial datasets, company statements, securities filings and satellite captures, each kept with its date and source. The bar shows documents by type.
News report 13Local government 9State agency 4Dataset 3Company 1SEC filing 1Satellite 0
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 (32)
- large load interconnection request: load interconnection request in queue (NYISO Project Status #12)“"North Country Data Center"; "North Country Data Center"; "Reynolds 115kV"”Dataset · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- Stated campus size: 635 MW“Intended use of Land and/or Building: Construction and development of an approximately 635MW data center campus”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- Local ratepayer exposure: residents told the Town Board that Massena Electric Department is not receiving its full contracted 23.6 MW, causing high winter bills, the context for the applicant's ratepayer-protection pled“residents also raised concerns about Massena Electric Department power allocations and not receiving the full contracted 23.6 megawatts of power, resulting in high winter electric bills”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- large load interconnection request: large load listed in NYISO queue (Feb 28, 2026 snapshot); in-service date listed 12-2024“22 D St. Lawrence 0979 North Country Data Center Reynolds 115kV NYPA 176 1/22/2020 7/31/2023 12-2024”State agency · Feb. 2026 · grade A
- Interconnection status: NYISO load queue positions: Q0979 North Country Data Center 435 MW (filed Jan 2020, Reynolds 115kV) is the campus approved connection the folder describes (435 MW, applied 2020); Q1751 Massena Dev“Load Projects”Dataset · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- large load interconnection request: load interconnection request in queue (NYISO Project Status #4)“"Massena Development LLC Power Allocation"; "North Country Data Center LLC"; "NYPA - HW1 and HW2 (345kV) Lines - at Haverstock Substation"”Dataset · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Nearest power line of 345 kV or more: 2.34 kmMeasured on OpenStreetMap map data.
- Nearest substation of 345 kV or more: 9.26 kmMeasured on OpenStreetMap map data.
- Nearest gas pipeline: 12.39 kmMeasured on OpenStreetMap map data.
- Site address: 194 County Road 45, Massena, NY 13662 (former Alcoa East smelter); coordinates 44.98388, -74.75109“Location: 194 County Road 45, Massena, NY 13662; Coordinates: 44.98388, -74.75109; Power usage (MW): 435; Owner: North Country Data Center Corporation”Dataset · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Filing record: No SEC filing states a campus MW figure; NCCS/NYDIG have no EDGAR filing naming the Massena expansion“No SEC filing states a campus MW figure for this campus”SEC filing · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- IT capacity: not stated“Documented absence: no IT-load figure is stated in the application record, town minutes, or company materials; the only MW figures are total campus power (635) and its 435/200 interconnection components”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Utility service: not stated“Documented absence: no executed electric service agreement exists in the record. The applicant states it uses existing approved capacity at market rates with no discounted power; the 435 MW figure is a completed NYISO interconnection-study amount stated by the applicant,”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- On-site generation: not stated“Documented absence: no on-site generation is proposed (company: zero new power generation; hydro supply from the St. Lawrence River grid). The 64 planned diesel units are emergency standby only and are not counted as on-site generation”Company · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Power plan: grid, existing NYPA St. Lawrence-FDR hydro interconnection (NYISO Zone D); market-rate supply, no NYPA low-cost allocation“No new generation required; reallocating existing approved capacity (435 MW approved, 200 MW pending). No discounted power rates. Paying full market rates”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Utility: New York Power Authority (NYPA)“They have load study finalized, System Impact finalized, Facility Study to make sure equipment to be purchased is approved by NYPA and NYISO”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Grid operator: NYISO (Zone D - North)“The project has been approved for 435 megawatts by the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) organization”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Existing operations: Bitcoin mining campus operating on the legacy Reynolds/Alcoa East site; ~60 FTE today per company; reported draw ~166 MW of the site's 435 MW studied capacity; mining to be phased out for AI/HPC hall“We support ~60 full-time employees with competitive salaries and benefits”Company · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- interconnection study: system impact and facility studies completed for existing capacity (applicant-stated)“They have load study finalized, System Impact finalized, Facility Study to make sure equipment to be purchased is approved by NYPA and NYISO”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- interconnection queue request: additional 200 MW requested; pending in NYISO queue“NYDIG still has an additional request for 200 megawatts into the NYISO queue. That amount is not contingent for the project to proceed”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Sponsor track record: per the applicant's own presentation, Stone Ridge/NYDIG/NCCS run ~1 GW operating and ~500 MW in development across ~20 sites, with 4-5 AI data centers in development and none yet online, Massena wo“Currently, NCCS in conjunction with NYDIG have operations in approximately 20 locations in the United States and Canada. They have nearly one gigawatt operating and 500 megawatts in development”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- large load interconnection request: additional large load request listed in NYISO queue (Feb 28, 2026 snapshot); in-service date listed 07-2027; awaiting NYISO assessment (as reported)“1751 Alcoa East Energy Allocation Project NYPA - HW1 and HW2 (345kV) Lines - at Haverstock NYPA 200 10/21/2025 1/31/2026 07-2027”State agency · Feb. 2026 · grade B
- Grid connection: Existing 435 MW grid connection approved by NYISO (application filed 2020); an additional 200 MW connection requested by NYDIG in 2025 is awaiting NYISO assessment“NCCS applied for a 435 MW connection to the grid in 2020 and subsequently received approval from the NYISO to construct it”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Utility: New York Power Authority (NYPA)“The Massena East site draws power from the New York Power Authority via the Moses-Saunders hydroelectric dam on the St. Lawrence River”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Existing campus utilization: press reports the Massena mining operation currently draws ~166 MW of the site's 435 MW studied capacity with ~54,000 miners on site, i.e., the expansion's base capacity is largely idle lega“roughly 166 MW of the site's 435 MW capacity is in use, supporting some 54,000 miners”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Hosted-mining clients exited: CleanSpark, Gryphon Digital Mining and Bit Digital previously hosted at NCCS have moved on; the campus pivots from hosted crypto to a single-tenant AI/HPC model“At NCCS, GRID hosted large-scale clients including CleanSpark, Gryphon Digital Mining, and Bit Digital, but those mining clients have since moved on”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Federal overlay: FERC's June 18, 2026 show-cause order (EL26-69) questions whether NYISO's tariff adequately addresses large-load interconnection, with NYISO tariff revisions targeted for December 2026, the framework go“FERC directed NYISO to show cause why its tariff should not be found unjust and unreasonable for failing to adequately address large-load interconnection”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Regulatory status: NY state executive-order moratorium on new hyperscale data centers >50 MW restricts new DEC discretionary permits; Massena officials and the St. Lawrence County planning director say NCCS may be exempt“Massena officials say NCCS doesn't require additional permits because it already applied for them back in 2020”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Utility service: 635 MW“New York Digital Investment Group (NYDIG) and its affiliate cryptocurrency operators, North Country Collocation Services (NCCS), want to build a 1.5 million-square-foot, 635-megawatt data center”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Utility service: 435 MW“NCCS applied for a 435 MW connection to the grid in 2020 and subsequently received approval from the NYISO to construct it.”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Interconnection status: Energized - operating NCCS/Coinmint load on the NYPA St. Lawrence-FDR hydro system since 2017-18; 435 MW connection NYISO-approved; additional 200 MW (queue #1751) awaiting NYISO assessment toward“An additional 200 MW connection, requested by NYDIG last year, is awaiting assessment by NYISO.”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- large load interconnection request: 435 MW connection applied in 2020; NYISO approval to construct received (as reported)“NCCS applied for a 435 MW connection to the grid in 2020 and subsequently received approval from the NYISO to construct it.”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
Money and contracts (19)
- escrow agreement: scope 250000 USD“After some negotiation with NYDIG that amount was raised to $250,000. The Escrow agreement was approved at the Town of Massena Board meeting held on 9/16/2026. The agreement was signed on the morning of 9/17/26”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- escrow agreement: purpose“the Developer of the project usually puts up a quantity of money to handle all Town related lawyer fees as well as the cost of hiring an independent engineering firm to help evaluate concerns for the project”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- host community agreement: condition precedent“The host community agreement will be developed between Town Board and NYDIG officials and will be done in parallel with technical reviews. Host community agreement must be completed prior to planning board vote”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- Square feet: 870000 sq ft“The building foot print has reduced from 3 buildings to 2 buildings. This is a reduction from ~1.5 million Sqft to ~ 870,000 Sqft”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Tenants: One tenant locked in (unnamed) per applicant statement Aug. 20, 2026; existing campus is operator-occupied by NCCS/NYDIG“they original started out with a large flexible design, but now that they have locked into only 1 tenant, their design has changed since they can use one focused dense solution”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Tenant status: single unnamed tenant stated by applicant; not independently verified“now that they have locked into only 1 tenant, their design has changed”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- escrow agreement: termination clause finding“Escrow: original amount $100,000, raised after negotiation with NYDIG to $250,000. The escrow agreement was approved at the Town Board meeting on 9/16/2026, signed the morning of 9/17/26 and delivered to Josh Burandt (NYDIG).”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- host community agreement: status proposed“John Doby describes some of the highlights of the host community agreement. The details and financials will be negotiated with the Town”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- host community agreement: payment on energization building1 7000000 USD“There would be a 7 million dollar payment when first data center building energizes”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- host community agreement: payment on full energization 3000000 USD“There will be a 3 million dollar payment with the whole campus is energized”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- host community agreement: annual payment 3000000 USD/yr“There is a 3 million dollar payment per year, increased with inflation, for the next 15-30 years, based on contract”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- host community agreement: ratepayer protection clause“There will be a Rate Payer Pledge to have NCCS pay for any additional electrical cost to the MED rate payers”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- host community agreement: local labor clause“There will be contractual agreements to hire local labor for construction, etc. Commitments to support local infrastructure, EMS, Roads, etc”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- host community agreement: termination clause finding“Host Community Agreement highlights (per Doby): $7M payment when the first data center building energizes; $3M when the whole campus is energized; $3M per year, increased with inflation, for the next 15-30 years”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- pilot: status finding“Taxation & PILOT (Payment In Lieu Of Taxes): NYDIG may apply for a PILOT; not finalized”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- power supply: status finding“No discounted power rates. Paying full market rates”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- land lease: scope“The Massena East facility has operated as a bitcoin mining campus since 2018, when Alcoa signed a 10-year lease with Coinmint, which later rebranded its local operations as North Country Colocation Services”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- land purchase: status finding“Alcoa CEO Bill Oplinger confirmed in an April 17, 2026, interview that Alcoa is in advanced-stage negotiations, according to a report published by Jacob Lorinc of Bloomberg”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Ownership litigation overhang: Mintvest Capital sued Coinmint/NYDIG principals claiming NYDIG effectively acquired Coinmint for roughly $200M in October 2024, the NCCS/NYDIG/Coinmint ownership chain is contested in liti“On October 28, 2024, NYDIG entered into agreements through which it effectively acquired Coinmint for roughly $200 million”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
Permits and government (26)
- SEQR status: Lead agency not designated; lead-agency coordination packages not yet sent as of Sept. 17, 2026; Planning Board cannot evaluate SEQR until the 30-day coordination clock runs“As of September 17, 2026 those packages have not been sent out yet. Once packages are sent, that starts a 30 day response clock”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- Zoning status: Use not established: St. Lawrence County Planning staff concluded the Industrial Zone does not permit data centers; Planning Board referred the question to the ZBA on June 25, 2026; Town Board code rewrite in“MOTION made by David Grant to refer the project to the local Massena Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) group for clarification on whether data centers are permitted in an industrial zone”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- site plan application: application filed“Early April, an initial application for site plan approval and minor subdivision was submitted to the Town of Massena”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- county referral review: review completed; recommendation issued“The first county suggestion was to have the local planning board refer the project to the local Massena Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) for clarification of whether data centers are an acceptable usage in an industrial zone”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- presubmission conference: presubmission held; official submission recorded“This meeting marks the official application submission. All previous meetings or discussions were for information only. No planning board process was in play during those previous meetings”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- zoning referral: referred by Planning Board (vote 4-0, 1 recusal)“MOTION made by David Grant to refer the project to the local Massena Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) group for clarification on whether data centers are permitted in an industrial zone”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- site plan application: supplemental application filed“The updated submission was submitted to the Town of Massena during the week of Aug 16-22. Included in the recent submission is an environmental assessment, that mirrors part 2 of the SEQR document”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- seqr lead agency: lead agency inquiry authorized; coordination packages not yet sent“the NYDIG lawyer had taken on the responsibility of given all the appropriate agencies involved in this project the lead agency challenge packages. As of September 17, 2026 those packages have not been sent out yet”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- dec discretionary permits: no application located; EO 62 abeyance exposure“the Department of Environmental Conservation is directed to hold in abeyance all applications for any discretionary permit, approval, license, or similar form of permission for the construction or expansion of a data center”State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- Town of Massena Town Board: Public comment period, residents and Akwesasne residents raised data center concerns (water, environment, NDAs, MED allocations); no zoning amendment action appears in the minutes“Discussions about data center expansion plans. Residents expressed concerns about water usage, environmental impacts, and health effects”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- Town of Massena Planning Board: NYDIG/NCCS introductory presentation on the proposed expansion (Modern Computing Campus)“No new generation required; reallocating existing approved capacity (435 MW approved, 200 MW pending). No discounted power rates. Paying full market rates”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- Town of Massena Planning Board: Pre-Submission Plan Review #1, NY Digital Investment Group LLC (official application submission)“MOTION made by David Grant to refer the project to the local Massena Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) group for clarification on whether data centers are permitted in an industrial zone”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- Town of Massena Planning Board: Site Plan Review #1, supplemental (redesigned) application presented by NCCS CFO John Doby“The project has been approved for 435 megawatts by the New York Independent System Operator (NYISO) organization. All studies have been completed for that amount of energy”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- Town of Massena Planning Board: Site Plan Review #1 update, zoning path, SEQR status, escrow execution, NYDIG corporate background“The Escrow agreement was approved at the Town of Massena Board meeting held on 9/16/2026. The agreement was signed on the morning of 9/17/26 and given to Josh Burandt of NYDIG”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- Construction stage: none (expansion), site plan review and SEQR pre-application stage; existing bitcoin mining campus operating on the adjacent legacy site“As of September 17, 2026 those packages have not been sent out yet. The Town Planning Board can not process or start evaluating the SEQRA form until the 30 day clock is exhausted”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Original target date: not stated“No completion date has ever been set by an approving authority. Applicant materials state only: initial construction late 2026 (subject to permits) and phased build-out/energization late 2026-2028”Company · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Current target date: not stated“No credible COD: the applicant's late-2026 construction start is expressly subject to permits and approvals, while as of 2026-09-17 SEQR lead-agency coordination had not begun and no site plan approval, zoning determination, or DEC permit exists”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Jurisdiction: Town of Massena (site plan, zoning, subdivision); St. Lawrence County Planning Board (GML 239 referral review); NYSDEC (discretionary permits, SEQR involved agency); NYPA/NYISO (interconnection studies and“An extensive amount of work has been done with the Army Core of Engineers and the Department of Conservation (DEC) to delineate the wetlands in the proposed building locations”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- wetlands delineation: delineation work performed with agencies (applicant-stated)“An extensive amount of work has been done with the Army Core of Engineers and the Department of Conservation (DEC) to delineate the wetlands in the proposed building locations”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Next procedural step: the October 15, 2026 Planning Board agenda again lists Site Plan Review #1, NYDIG (182 & 194 County Route 45); minutes were not yet posted as of Oct. 18, 2026“2026-10-15 PB agenda includes Site Plan Review #1 - NYDIG 182 & 194 County Route 45”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Eo62 status: Applicant claims the project needs no DEC discretionary permit and is therefore outside Executive Order 62; the State has not confirmed any project's status as of Oct 2026“The applicant is saying, We don't need any official approval from the state because we're not going to meet any thresholds that would require us to get a state permit”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- local moratorium: proposed moratorium NOT adopted (vote 3-2 against)“The Massena Town Board voted 3-2 on Wednesday not to adopt a local law imposing a six-month moratorium on data center permits, applications and approvals”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Community/tribal opposition is organized: MUSH petition drives (800 signatures for prohibition; 500 for a three-year moratorium) entered into the record; Mohawk Council of Akwesasne formally requested postponement of tow“Residents signed petitions calling for the Town Board to prohibit the data center (800 signatures) and pass a three-year moratorium (500 signatures), both of which were entered into the record”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Town of Massena Town Board: Public hearing and vote on proposed six-month data center moratorium local law; escrow agreement approval“The Massena Town Board voted 3-2 on Wednesday not to adopt a local law imposing a six-month moratorium on data center permits, applications and approvals”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Construction stage: expansion proposed, not started - existing crypto-mining facility operating on site since 2017/2018; expansion (1.5M sq ft data center) in town review; Massena Town Board voted 3-2 on Sep 16, 2026 aga“The Massena Town Board voted 3-2 on Wednesday, Sep. 16, against a proposed six-month moratorium that would've restricted a new data center”News report · Sept. 2026 · grade C
- Announced: April 2026“Page two of the County Planning Board’s April 2026 staff write-up contains a paragraph that should reframe how residents understand tomorrow’s vote”News report · May 2026 · grade C
Site and other (20)
- County code: 36089“ECHO facilities at the Massena point carry FacFIPSCode 36089 (St”State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- Applicant of record: NY Digital Investment Group LLC“Pre-Submission Plan Review #1. NY Digital Investment Group LLC. Site address: 182 & 194 County Route 45”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- County: St. Lawrence County“Site address: 182 & 194 County Route 45 (Tax Map #6.003-1-1.111) Zoned: Industrial (I) Massena, NY 13662”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- City: Massena (Town of Massena)“Site address: 182 & 194 County Route 45 (Tax Map #6.003-1-1.111) Zoned: Industrial (I) Massena, NY 13662”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- Address: 182 & 194 County Route 45, Massena, NY 13662“Site address: 182 & 194 County Route 45 (Tax Map #6.003-1-1.111) Zoned: Industrial (I) Massena, NY 13662”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- Parcel IDs: Tax Map #6.003-1-1.111“182 & 194 County Route 45 (Tax Map #6.003-1-1.111)”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- Facility listing DEC: NYSDEC's draft Cryptocurrency Mining GEIS (May 2025) inventories the existing operation as 'Coinmint/Riot - Massena Complex (formerly Alcoa East Smelter Blockchain Facility)/North Country Data Cente“Massena Complex (formerly Alcoa East Smelter Blockchain Facility)/North Country Data Center - listed under Coinmint/Riot in the DEC draft GEIS facility table”State agency · May 2025 · grade A
- Site address: 194 County Road 45, Massena, NY 13662“Location: 194 County Road 45, Massena, NY 13662; Coordinates: 44.98388, -74.75109”Dataset · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Name: North Country Colocation Services (NCCS) Massena Expansion“North Country Colocation Services (NCCS) has been part of the Massena community since 2017. We are proposing to expand our existing operations on the same legacy industrial site”Company · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Aliases: NYDIG Massena data center expansion; Modern Computing Campus“Proposal to expand and modernize an existing data center campus at 182 & 194 County Road 45 (former Alcoa East / Reynolds site)”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Developer: North Country Colocation Services (NCCS), affiliate of New York Digital Investment Group (NYDIG)“North Country Colocation Services (NCCS) has been part of the Massena community since 2017”Company · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Expansion acres: 355 acres“~355 developable acres of expansion, adjacent to existing ~110-acre site with significant existing industrial infrastructure”Company · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Existing site acres: 110 acres“~355 developable acres of expansion, adjacent to existing ~110-acre site”Company · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Buildings: 2“The building foot print has reduced from 3 buildings to 2 buildings”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Stage: at risk“As of September 17, 2026 those packages have not been sent out yet”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- First announced: 2026“Proposal to expand and modernize an existing data center campus at 182 & 194 County Road 45 (former Alcoa East / Reynolds site)”Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade B
- Site acres: 1300 acres“The property spans approximately 1,300 acres and includes the full electrical infrastructure built for industrial-scale aluminum production”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Acres: 1375 acres“a 1.45-million-square-foot, 635-megawatt data center campus at 182 and 194 County Route 45, on 865 acres carved from the 1,375-acre former Alcoa East / Reynolds Metals industrial parcel”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Land control status: Alcoa-owned land; existing operations under lease; NYDIG purchase announced in advanced negotiations (Apr 2026), closing not confirmed as of Oct. 18, 2026“Alcoa CEO Bill Oplinger confirmed in an April 17, 2026, interview that Alcoa is in advanced-stage negotiations, according to a report published by Jacob Lorinc of Bloomberg”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- State process clocks: DPS Case 26-E-0045 GEIS scoping comments were due Oct 20, 2026; EO 62's abeyance lasts until DPS files the GEIS and findings, no statutory end date; DPS technical conference on large-load reforms i“DPS is taking public comments on the draft scope until October 20, 2026. Following the public comment period, the Commission is expected to adopt a final scope and proceed with preparing the GEIS”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
Imagery and records: Satellite and aerial imagery: local aerial photography via Esri World Imagery Wayback; Sentinel-2 (ESA Copernicus).