A Bitcoin-mining and data-center operation has run on the old Reynolds / Alcoa East site in Massena since 2017. The company behind it now wants to expand it to 635 megawatts—one of the largest such operations in the country—on the bank of the St. Lawrence River, in our town.
We're neighbors following that proposal. Find the public record, understand what's at stake, and make your voice heard.
Four numbers, straight from the record — the company's own statements to the Planning Board and documented measurements, each with its source.
| The number | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|
| ~635 MW | The proposed expansion — "expand and modernize" the campus to roughly 635 megawatts of power capacity. | The company says — May 21, 2026 minutes |
| 2 | New data halls in the company's current project description. | The company says — current NCCS project page |
| ~200 | Permanent full-time positions projected by the company. | The company says — current NCCS project page |
| 64 | Backup generators listed in the current project description. | The company says — current NCCS project page |
182 & 194 County Road 45 — the former Reynolds / Alcoa East smelter campus. On the St. Lawrence River. Beside a federal river cleanup. In our town.
Aerial photo: D & J Aerial Photography (Dan Lawrence) — used with permission.
What's going on there →Each one is laid out with its source on the Resources page — and each one is a reason this deserves the full study, not a rushed sign-off.
The site is contaminated former-smelter land — PCBs, dioxins, and metals capped and contained in place, right beside a federal river cleanup. Heavy construction raises real questions about whether that cap stays intact.
Read the water claim →A 635-MW load is enormous. Massena runs on cheap, town-owned power (Massena Electric Department) — the same kind of low-cost public power Plattsburgh, NY had before a crypto operation scaled up there, ate into it, and residents' bills rose. Plattsburgh became the first in the U.S. to pause mining. Who pays for grid upgrades here, and what happens to our rates?
Read the rates precedent →635 megawatts is enormous. Coinmint projected more than 150 Massena jobs within 18 months. The public record shows 65 employees in 2020 and about 60 today. Now the company projects 200 employees, alongside up to two years of heavy construction on contaminated former-smelter land beside a federal river cleanup. Another projection is not enough. Put the jobs, deadline, public reporting, and consequences for falling short in writing.
Read the jobs analysis →Three August records changed the picture. Here is what each one proves — and what it does not.
The Town posted notice for in Massena Town Hall to consider a local law establishing a moratorium on data-center permitting or development. The notice does not state a duration, and it does not say the law has been enacted. Read the Town's official notice →
The Planning Board's official agenda listed an NYDIG presentation on “major changes” to the proposed project at the old Reynolds site. It limited questions at that meeting to board members and said public questions would come at a future public hearing. The agenda proves what was scheduled, not what occurred. Official minutes are not posted, so this site is not claiming an outcome. Read the official agenda →
The official minutes describe a petition presented by Mr. Fenton as having more than 1,200 signatures supporting a three-year moratorium. That is the minutes' description, not a certified signature count. Resolution 145-2026 separately scheduled a public hearing on a proposed six-month moratorium. Scheduling a hearing did not enact the law. Read the official minutes →
Background: The local review and public response began in late June. The complete dated history remains on the record page.
“This room is going to be full when we have a public hearing.”
You don't need to be an expert — every action here is timed so you know exactly what it costs you.
Email alerts about meetings, comment deadlines, and votes. Updated Aug. 28, 2026: no fixed weekly schedule. Read past alerts.