Data center profile · Off Highway 311 and Tuttle Road along the Dan River, near Walnut Cove, Stokes County, North Carolina

Project Delta (Stokes County)

Speculative hyperscale campus on 1,850 acres near Walnut Cove, North Carolina, rezoned 3-2 twice in 2026 after a court voided the first vote; no tenant.

Rezoned again, no tenant. Stokes County commissioners re-approved the rezoning 3-2 on Sept. 14, 2026, after a court voided the January approval for faulty notice, and over the planning board's 5-2 recommendation to deny. No tenant, site plan, utility filing or MW figure is on record.
1,850 acres
rezoned to a heavy-industrial conditional district
residential-agricultural land on the Dan River
3-2
commissioners' vote, in January and again in September
planning board recommended denial both times
"Several hundred MW"
the only capacity language (project website)
no MW on a named basis from the developer or utility
2,600+
signatures on a petition against the project
at the first filing (press)
OperatorEngineered Land Solutions (developer, CEO Drew Nations); landowner David Couch of Blue Ridge Companies
CustomerNone named; opponents describe it as speculative
First building in serviceOur estimate: 2029 or later (no dated power path yet).
Next stepNo site plan or development timeline published; opponents have not said whether they will sue over the second approval
Power

Power and the grid

Sources on record, size not disclosed

Getting on the grid

Permits

Permits checklist

1 revoked · 1 denied · 1 granted · 1 checked, nothing on file

County and court actions on record. Planning board recommendations are not decisions.

Risks

What could slow it down

Lawsuits

1 case on record

Money

Money on record

Not on record: abatement, PILOT or incentive agreement: searched, Oct. 2026 News report · Oct. 2026

Timeline

What happened, and what is due

SitePaper trailConstructionPowerPermitsMoneyLegalUpcoming
  1. Dec. 4, 2025
    Permits Planning board recommends against the rezoning News report · Dec. 2025
  2. Jan. 12, 2026
    Permits Commissioners approve the rezoning 3-2 News report · Jan. 2026
  3. March 12, 2026
    Legal Residents and four nonprofits sue to reverse the rezoning News report · March 2026
  4. April 15, 2026
    Permits County voids its own January approval for failing statutory notice News report · April 2026
  5. July 15, 2026
    Permits Commissioners reject a six-month moratorium 3-2 News report · July 2026
  6. July 21, 2026
    Permits Engineered Land Solutions files a new rezoning application News report · Oct. 2026
  7. Aug. 13, 2026
    Permits Planning board votes 5-2 to recommend denial News report · Aug. 2026
  8. Aug. 20, 2026
    Legal Court consent order voids the January actions as if never enacted News report · Aug. 2026
  9. Sept. 8, 2026
    Permits Three-hour public hearing; most speakers oppose News report · Sept. 2026
  10. Sept. 14, 2026
    Permits Commissioners re-approve the rezoning 3-2 News report · Sept. 2026
The buildings

Specs

Who is involved

Owners, partners and builders

Owners
  • Engineered Land Solutions (CEO Drew Nations): developer and applicant
  • David Couch, CEO of Blue Ridge Companies: landowner
Decision-makers
  • Stokes County Board of Commissioners (Cox, Wood and Morris for; Chandler and Barneycastle against)
  • Stokes County Planning Board
  • Stokes County Superior Court
Power partners
  • Duke Energy Carolinas: expected utility (no filing)
Opponents
  • Southern Coalition for Social Justice and Southern Environmental Law Center, for 13 residents and four nonprofits
  • Clean Water for North Carolina petition
Still unknown

Open questions

Where this comes from

47 records from 10 documents

Drawn from news reports and public and commercial datasets, each kept with its date and source. The bar shows documents by type.

News report 9Dataset 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 (4)
  • 'Several hundred megawatts' (project website, via DCD) is the only capacity language for Project Delta
    “The site, which will include a closed-loop cooling system, may include its own on-site generation capacity, though details haven’t been shared.”
    News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
  • Organized opposition throughout: Action Network petition over 2,600 signatures at first filing, packed hearings, Sep 8, 2026 hearing crowd overflowed to lawn chairs and outdoor speakers; concerns over Dan River water, ai
    “An Action Network petition against the proposal has garnered more than 2,600 signatures at the time of writing.”
    News report · Sept. 2026 · grade C
  • Project website claims the campus would total 'several hundred megawatts' with a new dedicated substation and possible on-site generation - a phrase, not a stated MW figure on a named basis; NO MW row taken
    “the data center campus would total “several hundred megawatts” and be served by a new dedicated substation, according to the project website.”
    News report · Dec. 2025 · grade C
  • Utility: Duke Energy Carolinas (planned grid connection via new dedicated substation; site close to Duke Energy's Belews Creek plant; interim on-site gas generation proposed in coverage, details not shared by developer)
    “the data center campus would total "several hundred megawatts" and be served by a new dedicated substation, according to the project website.”
    News report · Dec. 2025 · grade C
Money and contracts (2)
  • Tenant status: none found - speculative; no tech company / data center customer lined up in any source reviewed
    “This data center is SPECULATIVE there is no tech company lined up to buy or use this data center”
    News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
  • Developer: Engineered Land Solutions (ELS), CEO Drew Nations
    “ELS CEO Drew Nations has repeatedly argued that Project Delta could transform Stokes County's financial situation”
    News report · Sept. 2026 · grade C
Permits and government (17)
  • Project status: rezoning approved (second approval, Sep 14 2026)
    “Commissioners voted 3-2 in favor of the rezoning request.”
    News report · Sept. 2026 · grade C
  • Project identity: Project Delta hyperscale data center campus, about 1,850 acres of residential-agricultural land along the Dan River off Highway 311 / Tuttle Road near Walnut Cove, Stokes County, NC
    “The highly contentious project converts 1,850 acres of residential-agricultural land along the imperiled Dan River into a heavy-industrial conditional zoning district.”
    News report · Sept. 2026 · grade C
  • Project status: rezoning approved for a second time on Sep 14, 2026 (3-2); no site plan approval, building permit or site work reported; no tenant named
    “Commissioners voted 3-2 in favor of the rezoning request.”
    News report · Sept. 2026 · grade C
  • Site acres: 1850 acres
    “The highly contentious project converts 1,850 acres of residential-agricultural land along the imperiled Dan River into a heavy-industrial conditional zoning district.”
    News report · Sept. 2026 · grade C
  • Second approval, on the same 3-2 split as January, converting the site to a heav: approved 3-2
    “The Stokes County Board of Commissioners voted 3-2 Monday night to silence its own community and approve a massive hyperscale AI data center known as Project Delta.”
    News report · Sept. 2026 · grade C
  • Sequence: county voided the January approval (statutory notice failure); ELS sub: Rezoning RE-APPROVED (3-2) on fresh application - Sep 14, 2026
    “Stokes County commissioners have once again approved plans for a massive data center in Walnut Cove.”
    News report · Sept. 2026 · grade C
  • Stokes County Board of Commissioners:
    “Commissioners voted 3-2 in favor of the rezoning request.”
    News report · Sept. 2026 · grade C
  • Stokes County Board of Commissioners:
    “a three-hour public hearing last week, where residents filled every minute of allotted comment time and the vast majority of speakers and attendees opposed”
    News report · Sept. 2026 · grade C
  • Court adopted the parties' joint request: the January text and map amendments ar: joint consent order voiding the January rezoning
    “a local court has officially voided the county's original, flawed January rezoning for the same project.”
    News report · Aug. 2026 · grade C
  • Source record
    “noting that the county failed to meet statutory notice requirements before approving the project. The decision reverses the county's January decision to approve the zoning”
    News report · Aug. 2026 · grade C
  • Renewed application considered after the court consent order; every public speak: recommendation to deny, 5-2
    “Stokes County's Planning Board delivered a resounding win for the community, voting 5-2 to recommend denial of a massive proposed hyperscale AI data center”
    News report · Aug. 2026 · grade C
  • Stokes County Board of Commissioners:
    “On July 15, 2026, the Stokes County Board of Commissioners voted against the proposed six-month moratorium in a 3-2 vote”
    News report · July 2026 · grade C
  • Commissioners formally voided the January rezoning and text amendment, acknowled: county voided its own rezoning decision
    “the Stokes County Board of Commissioners voted this week to formally void its rezoning decision and text amendment”
    News report · April 2026 · grade C
  • First approval rezoning about 1,845 acres from residential-agricultural to heavy: approved 3-2 (later voided)
    “both actions taken by Commissioners on January 12, 2026 are void because of faulty notice”
    News report · Jan. 2026 · grade C
  • Initial approval of the Project Delta rezoning (~1,800 acres at US 311 & Tuttle : Rezoning APPROVED (3-2) - Jan 12, 2026 (later VOIDED; see re-approval row)
    “This project was previously named Project Delta, which was approved on Jan 12, 2026. The rezoning approval was then withdrawn after a community lawsuit filed by SCSJ and SELC.”
    News report · Jan. 2026 · grade C
  • Planning Board voted to recommend against the rezoning / text amendment ahead of: recommendation to deny
    “The Stokes County planning board voted to recommend against the plan on December 4.”
    News report · Dec. 2025 · grade C
  • planning board voted to recommend against the plan on Dec 4, 2025 and again 5-2 to deny on Aug 13, 2026; a proposed six-month county moratorium was voted down 3-2 on Jul 15, 2026
    “The Stokes County planning board voted to recommend against the plan on December 4.”
    News report · Dec. 2025 · grade C
Legal (2)
  • Hairston Clan et al. v. Stokes County filed Mar 12, 2026 by SCSJ and SELC for 13 residents and four cultural/environmental nonprofits challenging the January rezoning; resolved for the January actions by the Aug 20, 2026
    “The lawsuit requests the court reverse the rezoning actions due to a lack of procedural safeguards, factual analysis, and reasoned decision-making required by North Carolina law.”
    News report · March 2026 · grade C
  • B6 DECISIVE: Mar 12, 2026 - SCSJ + SELC sued Stokes County in Superior Court on behalf of 13 residents and four cultural / environmental nonprofits, asking the court to reverse the rezoning for lack of procedural safegua
    “The lawsuit requests the court reverse the rezoning actions due to a lack of procedural safeguards, factual analysis, and reasoned decision-making required by North Carolina law.”
    News report · March 2026 · grade C
Site and other (3)
  • County code: 37169
    “FCC Census Block API for site point 36.401893,-80.239659: Block FIPS 371690702003025; County FIPS 37169, Stokes County, North Carolina”
    Dataset · Oct. 2026 · grade A
  • SELC-released Sep 3, 2026 analysis by Dr. Michael Hicks (Shenandoah University) found Project Delta would generate a fraction of the promised local tax revenue, create few lasting jobs and drive down property values whil
    “found the data center would generate a fraction of the promised local tax revenue, create few lasting local jobs, and drive down property values”
    News report · Sept. 2026 · grade C
  • Landowner: David Couch, CEO of Blue Ridge Companies
    “The land is owned by local developer David Couch, CEO of real estate firm Blue Ridge Companies.”
    News report · Dec. 2025 · grade C