Data Center Census

Apex, Wake County, NC

New Hill Digital Campus

CancelledDeveloper withdrew annexation and rezoning applications in March 2026; Apex adopted a 12-month data center moratorium in April 2026
  1. Rumored
  2. Proposed
  3. Approved
  4. Under construction
  5. Operating
  6. Cancelled

Natelli Investments proposed the New Hill Digital Campus, a data center on 189 acres near Duke Energy's Shearon Harris Nuclear Plant, and filed annexation, rezoning and land use amendment requests with the Town of Apex. In March 2026 the developer withdrew its annexation and rezoning applications, citing the town's ongoing deliberations over zoning changes, and said the project could be revisited if Apex approves zoning changes allowing data centers. The Apex Town Council then unanimously passed a 12-month moratorium on data centers.

Key facts

Size & schedule

Planned capacity300 MW [2]
Source excerpt
“The developer of New Hill Digital Campus is withdrawing its annexation and rezoning applications for the property that was set to house the proposed 300 MW data center.”
Planned capacity250 MW [3]
differing figure reported by WRAL
Source excerpt
“The proposed 250-megawatt facility was going to be called the 'New Hill Digital Campus.'”
Site size189 acres [1]
Source excerpt
“Natelli Investments LLC has filed a request to annex and rezone 189 acres in the Town of Apex for a new data storage facility.”
Buildings6 [3]
70-foot buildings
Source excerpt
“The project would have included six 70-foot buildings and about 80 3-megawatt generators on 189 acres of Shearon Harris Road, not far from Duke Energy's Harris Nuclear Plant.”

Power

UtilityDuke Energy [1]
Duke Energy transmission grid, per developer release
Source excerpt
“Duke Energy's transmission grid will serve the facility, according to the release, and it won't create a strain on the town's allocated power supply.”
Backup generatorsabout 80 3-megawatt generators [3]
Source excerpt
“The project would have included six 70-foot buildings and about 80 3-megawatt generators on 189 acres of Shearon Harris Road, not far from Duke Energy's Harris Nuclear Plant.”

Water

Water sourcerecirculating nonpotable water (developer-stated) [1]
Source excerpt
“Water used to cool the facility will come from recirculating nonpotable water”

Figures are as stated by the cited source. Where sources disagree, each figure is shown.

Timeline

  1. Natelli Investments files land use amendment, rezoning and annexation requests with the Town of Apex [1]

  2. Developer withdraws annexation and rezoning applications [2]

  3. Apex Town Council unanimously passes a 12-month moratorium on data centers [5]

Issues raised

  • The Protect Wake County Coalition raised concerns including noise, air pollution and energy and water use [2]
  • An online petition against the proposal gathered nearly 2,000 signatures [1]
  • Natelli said the project could be revisited if Apex approves zoning changes allowing data centers [2][5]
  • After the withdrawal, Apex Mayor Pro Tem Terry Mahaffey said he would propose a one-year moratorium on data center applications, permits and construction [3][4]

Sources

  1. Developer Files Plans for "Digital Campus" in Western Wake
    INDY Week · Sep 2, 2025 · news
  2. Proposed data center in Wake County is withdrawing its application
    WUNC · Mar 5, 2026 · news
  3. Residents near proposed Apex data center relieved project is scrapped, says more work needed
    WRAL · Mar 5, 2026 · news
  4. Controversial New Hill Data Center Project Withdrawn, Ending Months of Debate in Apex (NC)
    Holly Springs Update · Mar 5, 2026 · news
  5. Apex Approves One-Year Moratorium on Data Centers
    INDY Week · Apr 15, 2026 · news