Nscale, Anthropic discuss second AI compute deal worth about $45 billion
The prospective agreement would add another large block of capacity at Nscale’s West Virginia campus, but negotiations remain open and financing is not established.
The Lead
Nscale and Anthropic are discussing a second AI computing agreement worth about $45 billion for the Monarch campus in West Virginia, Bloomberg reported. No final agreement covering the additional facility had been announced as of October 22.
Key Facts
- Bloomberg reported the negotiations on October 20, citing people familiar with the matter.
- Nscale’s SEC filing lists existing Anthropic agreements signed August 25 with potential payments of up to $44.6 billion.
- The proposed second facility would provide about 460 megawatts of computing capacity using Nvidia Vera Rubin systems.
Article Body
The talks concern a second building at Nscale’s Monarch Compute Campus in Mason County, according to Bloomberg, which said terms could still change. The parties’ first agreements cover dedicated Nvidia Vera Rubin infrastructure and provide for aggregate payments of up to $44.6 billion, Nscale disclosed in its September IPO filing.
That filing also shows the execution risk behind the headline value. Nscale must build and finance the infrastructure, meet delivery schedules and maintain agreed service levels. Anthropic may terminate affected tranches without liability if specified timelines are missed. The campus itself remains under development, with Nscale targeting initial capacity by the first half of 2028.
A second contract could deepen Anthropic’s dependence on one planned campus and increase the capital Nscale must raise as it pursues a public listing. The next consequential question is whether the companies sign—and who finances the additional chips, power and construction.
What to Watch
The decisive signal will be a signed contract accompanied by disclosed financing and delivery terms. Until then, the reported $45 billion represents a possible multiyear agreement rather than secured revenue or operational computing capacity.