Nearly a week after Amazon Web Services walked away from its proposed data center campus next to the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, the company has given its first public explanation for the withdrawal — and it’s pushing back on any suggestion the decision was political.
In an on-the-record statement provided to the Southern Maryland Chronicle after the company did not respond ahead of the Chronicle’s initial coverage, an Amazon spokesperson said the decision not to move forward with the Calvert Technology Center came down to internal infrastructure planning rather than local backlash.
“After careful evaluation, Amazon has decided not to move forward with the proposed site development in Calvert County at this time,” the spokesperson said. “We regularly evaluate infrastructure opportunities based on a range of factors, including development timelines, operational requirements, and our ability to deliver quickly for customers.”
The company said the investment is “better directed toward other opportunities that more closely align with our near-term needs at this time,” calling it part of how Amazon makes “responsible, long-term infrastructure decisions” across its broader project pipeline.
The withdrawal comes six weeks after Calvert County’s June 23 primary, in which voters ousted three commissioners — Commission President Todd Ireland, Vice President Mark C. Cox Sr., and Commissioner Earl “Buddy” Hance — who had previously opposed a pause on data center approvals, according to Maryland Matters. Amazon’s spokesperson said the withdrawal “was a business decision based on our assessment of where to best allocate resources across our infrastructure portfolio at this time,” adding that the company “appreciated the engagement from Calvert County community members throughout this process.”
Amazon also addressed its relationship with Constellation Energy, which owns the Calvert Cliffs land where the campus would have been built. “This decision does not change our relationship with Constellation Energy,” the spokesperson said. “They remain a valued partner, and we appreciate their collaboration throughout this process.” Constellation issued its own statement the day of the withdrawal saying the opportunity to build digital infrastructure in Calvert County and Maryland “continues,” and that it looks forward to continuing to work with the county and state, according to Maryland Matters.
On its broader Maryland footprint, Amazon said it has invested more than $20 billion in the state since 2010, supporting more than 23,000 employees and over 10,000 indirect jobs, and that “each project is evaluated on its own merits” based on infrastructure readiness, environmental considerations, workforce availability, and engagement with local leaders.
The Calvert Technology Center would have been the county’s first large-scale data center project — three campuses totaling roughly 2.46 million square feet across 2,000 acres, with an estimated 500 megawatts of power demand. AWS filed its Conceptual Site Development Plan May 4. Separately, the Calvert County Environmental Commission had recommended a pause of at least 12 months on further data center approvals, citing unresolved questions about noise, water use, forest clearing, threatened species, and the cumulative effects of multiple proposed facilities in the area, according to Hoodline.
Not everyone is satisfied the issue is settled. Melissa Emmal, a Calvert resident who started a petition for a data center moratorium, called the withdrawal “a welcome development” but said it doesn’t change what residents are asking for, and that organizers are continuing to gather signatures ahead of the Aug. 18 hearing, according to WTOP. Calvert County’s own Aug. 4 release said the county “remains committed to transparency and will continue to provide updates on significant development proposals and application activity.”
Calvert commissioners are scheduled to hold a public hearing Aug. 18 at 10:30 a.m. in the Chesapeake Hearing Room at 150 Main St. in Prince Frederick on a proposed six-month moratorium on new data center site plan approvals. Written comments will be accepted through the close of business Aug. 17.
Amazon has not said whether it, Constellation, or another company might pursue a different data center project on the same or nearby land in the future.
