FAQ
Will the Cayuga project use water from the Lake?
No. While the site retains a legacy water intake from its coal plant days, the data campus will not rely on it. Cooling will use a closed-loop system requiring only a few gallons of utility water per day. Backup storage tanks may be used in rare weather events, but the lake will not be a source.
Will this affect traffic or truck activity in Lansing?
Construction will generate temporary traffic, but ongoing operations will have minimal truck activity compared to the former coal plant.
When will operations begin?
Site development is underway, with initial operations expected in late 2026 and full buildout by 2029.
Visit our Project Tracker for a more detailed operations timeline.
How will the Lansing community benefit?
The project is expected to provide substantial new tax revenue (up to $10M/yr), ~100 permanent jobs, hundreds of construction jobs, and a $100,000 annual community fund supporting schools, parks, and local initiatives.
What will the compute be used for?
The campus will support AI workloads – technologies that enable computers to analyze data, recognize patterns, and make intelligent recommendations.
Will there be noise impacts?
No. Advanced cooling keeps sound below 55 dBA – roughly the volume of a conversation – well under local limits and inaudible at the property line.
What about environmental impacts?
The project sources mostly zero-carbon power, uses efficient closed-loop cooling, and provides demand response capability – an increasingly important tool as the grid operator integrates more renewable but variable resources. It also revitalizes an idle industrial site, avoiding new land disturbance.
Will there be Bitcoin mining at the site?
No. The campus will be dedicated to supporting AI and HPC workloads.
Where will the workforce come from?
Many workers will be rehired and retrained from the former Cayuga coal plant. The project is a priority for IBEW, Plumbers, and the Building Trades.
What will the site look like?
Modern, low-profile data centers (1-2 stories) with simple, modular exteriors. Some existing buildings will be reused, and the coal stack is expected to be demolished, improving lake views.
See site renderings here.
Will this raise electricity prices?
Electricity prices depend on many factors beyond this project, including fuel markets, weather, and statewide demand. However, Zone C of the New York grid has a significant surplus of clean generation. In 2024, average demand was 1.7 GW (peak 2.3 GW) compared to 6.8 GW of generation capacity. Given this surplus, the project is not expected to put upward pressure on prices.
How large could the campus become?
NYISO has approved 138 MW for the initial buildout. TeraWulf is working with NYISO on expansion of up to ~400 MW. Any required system upgrades will be paid for by TeraWulf, improving grid reliability without passing costs on to ratepayers.
Does the project have the funding it needs?
Yes. TeraWulf is directly funding development. Long-term data center leases will support additional financing.
What is the current zoning?
The site is zoned Industrial, which allows scientific research and HPC data centers.
Could Cornell be involved?
Yes. Cornell is a natural partner and collaboration opportunities are being explored.
propylene glycol FAQs
How much propylene glycol is in the system?
The system uses a food-grade heat transfer fluid that is 30-35% propylene glycol by weight.
The exact volume depends on the final system fill, but the percentage concentration is defined by the product specification.
What would be the environmental impact in a mass-release scenario?
Propylene glycol is not classified as hazardous to the environment and shows very low aquatic toxicity at realistic environmental concentrations.
Key data from the SDS:
LC50 for fish: 40,613 mg/L (extremely low toxicity)
Rapidly biodegradable: 81–98% degraded in 28 days, depending on test method
Not bioaccumulative (log KOW = –1.07)
In short: spill cleanup is required, but the material does not pose a long-term environmental hazard, and emergency classification is minimal.
How would local EMS respond?
Because this product is not classified as hazardous, corrosive, toxic, flammable, or environmentally dangerous, EMS response follows standard non-hazardous liquid spill protocols.
The SDS specifies:
No special firefighting hazard
No special environmental precautions required
Basic PPE (gloves, eye protection)
Contain and absorb using sand, sawdust, or absorbent pads, then collect for disposal
There is no requirement for hazmat suits, evacuations, or special breathing apparatus unless aerosol or heated vapor concentrations are unusually high (not applicable to outdoor hydronic systems).
Is there a lethal dose or harmful exposure level?
Propylene glycol has very low toxicity:
• Oral LD50 in rats: 22,000 mg/kg, which is considered “practically non-toxic” by toxicology standards
• Dermal LD50: >2,000 mg/kg (again non-toxic)
• Not a skin sensitizer, not a carcinogen, not an endocrine disruptor, not a reproductive toxin
In plain terms:
You would need to ingest or be exposed to extremely large quantities before experiencing any harmful effect. Propylene glycol is widely used in food and pharmaceuticals for this reason.