Microsoft resumes work on $1B data center project near Charlotte after delays

After a 10-month delay, Microsoft has begun work on its $1 billion data center projects in Catawba County.

Several commercial building permits were issued to the tech giant between November and December for sites in Conover, Hickory, Maiden and Newton, according to Catawba County permit records. The permits were confirmed Thursday by Scott Millar, president of that Catawba County Economic Development Corp.

A wave of data centers are sweeping across the Carolinas, with the Charlotte region becoming a central hub, primarily driven by the explosion of the AI industry and need for hyperscale data centers. That growth, and the secrecy often behind early development plans, have led many area residents to oppose them.

Last April, Microsoft announced that it was delaying construction of the project in the county for an unspecified time. It’s unclear why thge delay occurred.

But the permits signal that the 10-year investment agreement between Microsoft and the county is moving…