Air Force land leases for AI data centers at JBER, Eielson and Clear
The Air Force offered about 4,700 acres across 12 parcels at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Eielson AFB and Clear Space Force Station for privately financed AI data centers. Residents near the five Eielson-area parcels raised noise, permafrost and grid concerns, including one parcel less than a mile from North Pole Middle School.
How the public reaches this
Proposals closed June 29 and are evaluated privately. No public comment period exists; no award timeline has been announced.
Timeline
Sources
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How this decision moved
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2026-07-08 Tracked. Bids closed June 29; no public word yet on how many proposals arrived.
2026-07-12 Developer lease proposals closed June 29 and the Air Force is now in private evaluation of bids for up to 12 parcels across JBER, Eielson and Clear. The FY2027 NDAA reported by the Senate Armed Services Committee on June 23 would require a formal grid-impact assessment before the military can approve a data-center Enhanced Use Lease, a statutory check Interior utilities and ratepayers had sought.
2026-07-17 Lease proposals were due June 29 and no developer selection or award has been made public as of this run. Carried forward as pending.
2026-07-21 A July 19 industry analysis (AIX Energy) notes the Alaska Enhanced Use Lease solicitation for commercial AI data centers on about 4,700 acres across 12 parcels at JBER, Eielson and Clear has moved out of its open proposal phase with no developer award announced, and that unlike the Lower 48 portfolio (which set 100 MW and 500 million dollar minimums) the Alaska request's specific megawatt and capital thresholds are not disclosed. Carried forward as pending decision.
2026-07-25 Re-verified by fetching the solicitation record for AFCEC-26-R-0006. The response deadline was June 29, 2026 at 5 p.m. EDT, extended from May 29, and the opportunity now reads Past Due with no award and no awardee recorded, last updated July 14, 2026. Twenty-six days past the deadline the three Alaska installations named in the request, JBER, Eielson Air Force Base and Clear Space Force Station, still have no publicly announced lessee. Evaluation is private, so there is no public comment room here.
2026-07-29 Material update from Congress, verified against primary records. On July 22 at 4:37 p.m. the U.S. House passed H.R. 8800, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027, by 216 yea to 212 nay with 3 not voting, and Alaska Representative Nick Begich voted yea, per the House Clerk's roll call 278. Federal News Network reported that the House Armed Services chairman's mark carries an amendment from Rep. Cory Mills of Florida that bars the Defense Department from leasing its land to private companies to build data centers unless they agree not to install or operate data facility equipment containing components manufactured in China, Russia, Iran or North Korea. Army officials warned the standard would drive world class commercial partners and more than 1.3 billion dollars in private capital away from Army land. If it survives conference it narrows who can bid on the Alaska parcels. The Senate has not passed its version. The underlying offer is unchanged, about 4,700 acres across twelve parcels at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Eielson Air Force Base and Clear Space Force Station under the enhanced use lease model, which the Air Force says returns at least fair market value in cash.
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Alaska AI Docket, Air Force land leases for AI data centers at JBER, Eielson and Clear.
Tracked since July 8, 2026, last verified
July 29, 2026. https://alaskaaihq.com/docket/air-force-eul-ai-data-centers/ · Reuse permitted under
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