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Nebius starts its Independence build with power arriving in phases
The Missouri campus has potential capacity of 1.2 GW. Its owner distinguishes an initial utility connection from later power expansion.
Nebius has begun construction on its AI campus near Route 78 and Little Blue Parkway in Independence, Missouri. The owner describes potential capacity of up to 1.2 GW and a phased development extending beyond 2029.
The immediate construction question is how much power each phase can receive. The full-campus capacity figure is not an October energization milestone.
Approval and workforce
Nebius's March 3 announcement followed city approval of its Chapter 100 industrial development incentive plan. It describes approximately 400 acres and forecasts around 1,200 skilled construction jobs, mostly in local building trades, plus around 130 permanent positions.
The approved tax agreement includes payments in lieu of taxes projected to exceed $650 million over 20 years. That is a long-term forecast for the city, schools and other taxing jurisdictions. It is not money already paid or a construction payroll.
The utility schedule has more than one step
The current project page confirms construction has begun. It says Independence Power & Light is to deliver initial power in the second half of 2026 and study additional supply for early 2029. Nebius is also evaluating on-site generation for a future phase.
“Evaluating” does not establish a power-plant contract. A bidder needs the approved utility and generation scope for the building being priced, including the boundaries between utility work and campus work.
The owner's initial power target should also be checked against current utility records before it becomes a claim that a building is energized. Electrical and commissioning dates depend on that distinction.
Water and the surrounding neighborhood
Nebius lists a closed-loop cooling system, with a one-time fill of one million gallons per 200 MW system. It separately estimates recurring staff and process-support use of 400,000 to 640,000 gallons per year.
Those are owner estimates, not meter readings for a fully operating campus. Closed-loop cooling still requires a fill, maintenance and supporting services. Contractors should obtain the actual monitoring and controls scope rather than read “closed loop” as a complete system description.
The project page also describes acoustic walls and centrally located noisy equipment. It says Bly Road rerouting began in spring and was expected to finish in fall 2026. Road, water and noise commitments can affect construction access and equipment layout. They belong in the field plan.
What contractors can use now
The sources support active construction, a local-trades workforce forecast and phased utility plans. They do not identify open electrical or fiber awards.
Track the remaining building packages and utility milestones with the project team. For a worker considering an offer, compare its wage and travel terms with the Missouri pay report, rather than apply the campus's permanent-job forecast to trade hiring.
