Skanska has signed a $1.19 billion contract to construct data centers across the United States.
Swedish construction firm Skanska has signed a $1.19 billion (11.2 billion Swedish krona) contract to build four new data centers in the southeastern United States. While the identity of the customer remains undisclosed, Skanska identified them as an “existing client.” Scheduled to commence in the third quarter of 2026, the project is expected to be completed in 2028. Spanning approximately 75,000 square meters, the scope includes the construction of building shells and interior fit-outs for technical spaces, support areas, and office functions.
“This project strengthens our position in the rapidly growing data center sector,” the company stated. The southeastern region has emerged as a primary hub for data center development, driven by lower electricity costs, favorable tax incentives, and robust access to major fiber-optic networks. As artificial intelligence firms scale computing capacity, construction activity is surging across states including Virginia, Georgia, and North Carolina. Skanska’s latest agreement adds to a growing portfolio of regional data center projects secured by the firm.
In July, Skanska finalized an initial agreement with an existing client to construct a data center in Virginia. Valued at $94 million (approximately 870 million Swedish krona), the project will be recorded in the company’s U.S. order bookings for the second quarter of 2026. The facility will encompass 19,500 square meters, featuring four data halls, associated site work, and underground utilities. Construction is slated to begin in October 2026, with completion targeted for May 2028.
Earlier in June, the company announced a separate contract with an existing client for a data center in Georgia. Worth $255 million (roughly 2.3 billion Swedish kronor), this project broke ground in March 2026 and is scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2028.
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The accelerating scale of AI infrastructure and the broader AI boom have drawn significant interest from major technology firms, including Microsoft, Google, and Anthropic. Separately, Meta Platforms and BlackRock recently partnered to develop and operate a massive data center campus in El Paso, Texas, valued at approximately $14 billion. This facility represents one of 28 data centers that Meta currently has either operational or under construction nationwide.
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In related developments, Nvidia will provide financial guarantees totaling $250 billion to support OpenAI’s plan to lease a 10-gigawatt AI data center being developed by SoftBank’s energy division in southern Ohio. Additionally, Nvidia announced a $1 billion investment in an AI initiative led by South Korean internet company Naver.