Nebius, the AI cloud company, welcomed the Independence City Council?s vote to approve the Chapter 100 industrial development incentive plan for its planned AI factory campus. The approval of the plan enables Nebius to proceed with the construction of the Independence AI factory, which has potential capacity of up to 1.2 GW. Nebius already operates in the Kansas City area and sees the Independence AI factory as central to its long-term growth in the US.
The project ? a multi-building campus on approximately 400 acres ? is expected to create approximately 1,200 skilled construction jobs, mostly among local building trades, with around 130 permanent high-tech positions once the AI factory is fully operational.
The AI factory will include a closed-loop cooling system that keeps water consumption comparable to a restaurant or office building, and noise-reduction technology will be built in throughout. The campus connects to Independence Power & Light (IPL), the city?s municipally owned utility, and is structured so as not to increase residential power rates. Under the approved agreement and associated tax incentive package, Nebius will make Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) projected to deliver over $650 million to the city, local school districts, and other taxing jurisdictions over the 20-year term.
Nebius has also committed to a broad community benefits plan, including STEM and AI literacy programs for local schools, workforce development, support for first responders, and the establishment of a Community Engagement Panel to maintain ongoing dialogue with Independence residents.
