CALVERT COUNTY — Amazon Web Services is abandoning its plans to develop data centers on the campus of the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant. The withdrawal was announced on August 4, 2026, ending a proposal that had drawn significant local attention and political scrutiny in Calvert County.

The cloud computing subsidiary of Amazon had submitted its proposal to Calvert County in early May 2026. The plan called for multiple data center campuses at the nuclear facility covering 2.4 million square feet. Constellation, the owner of Calvert Cliffs, described the site as Maryland’s largest source of clean, reliable energy. Despite the withdrawal, Constellation stated that Maryland and Calvert County still offer opportunities to create jobs and support federal agencies through investment in digital infrastructure.

The decision follows a period of intense political turnover in the county. Three Calvert County commissioners who previously voted against a pause on data centers were ousted in the June 23 primary election. Calvert County Commission President Todd Ireland lost his primary race.

Calvert County Commission Vice President Mark C. Cox Sr. also lost his primary race. Calvert County Commissioner Earl F. “Buddy” Hance lost his primary race as well.

Local advocacy groups responded to the news by calling for continued regulatory caution. Save Lusby Inc. board members issued a joint statement calling on the county government to take further steps regarding moratoriums and zoning ordinances. The group emphasized the need for local government to maintain strict oversight of future development proposals in the area.

Calvert County will host a public meeting on August 18, 2026, to consider a temporary six-month moratorium on site plan approvals for data center development projects. This meeting will determine whether the county implements a formal pause on new approvals while it reviews its zoning and planning regulations.

Other development proposals remain active in the vicinity. Natelli Holdings has proposed a data center close to Calvert Cliffs along Route 4 near Calvert Cliffs State Park, an existing landfill, a wastewater treatment facility, and a county-owned gun range. This separate project has not been affected by the Amazon withdrawal and remains under consideration by local authorities.

Citizen activism played a role in the broader debate over data center expansion. Melissa Emmal started an online petition calling for a data center moratorium in Calvert County. Melissa Emmal's Change.org petition has attracted over 10,000 signatures. The petition reflected growing public concern about the scale and impact of industrial technology facilities in residential and rural areas.

The situation in Calvert County mirrors trends across Maryland. According to the Chesapeake Climate Action Network, nearly 77% of Maryland’s population currently lives under some kind of data center moratorium. Montgomery, Prince George’s, Baltimore County, and Baltimore City have adopted data center moratorium measures.

Harford County enacted a ban on data centers with no time limit. Queen Anne’s County and Washington County have adopted one-year pauses on data center development.

Neighboring jurisdictions also saw political shifts related to data center policy. Frederick County voters ousted council chair Brad Young after the council voted to expand an existing data center zone in Adamstown while restricting data centers in other parts of the county. Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater enacted a pause on data center development through the end of 2026 via executive order. Prince George’s County enacted a two-year hold on data center development in July 2026.

The withdrawal of Amazon Web Services from the Calvert Cliffs site shows the increasing tension between digital infrastructure expansion and local regulatory control. With nearly 77% of Maryland’s population living under some form of data center moratorium, the state has become a focal point for debates over energy use, land development, and community impact. The outcome of the August 18 public meeting in Calvert County will indicate whether local officials align with this broader statewide trend by implementing their own temporary halt on approvals.

Why It Matters

The withdrawal of a 2.4 million square foot proposal follows the primary election defeats of three Calvert County commissioners who opposed pausing data center development. This outcome aligns Calvert County with broader trends across Maryland, where nearly 77% of the population now lives under some form of data center moratorium or ban. As local officials prepare to consider a six-month approval pause, the situation reflects a shifting regulatory landscape that has already prompted leadership changes in neighboring Frederick County and development holds in Prince George's County.