Lightpath said it will build new fiber infrastructure for two hyperscale data center campuses under construction in Michigan and Wisconsin, as demand tied to artificial intelligence drives the need for more network capacity.
The company said each campus is planned to exceed one gigawatt of capacity. Lightpath will provide triverse fiber infrastructure and multi-terabit capacity to the sites in Saline, Michigan and Port Washington, Wisconsin.
Delivery for the Saline build is expected by the end of 2026, while the Port Washington project is scheduled to follow in the second quarter of 2027. Lightpath said both builds are being delivered in partnership with an anchor hyperscale customer.
The announcement adds to Lightpath’s recent expansion of what it described as mission-critical, AI-grade fiber infrastructure across Phoenix, eastern Pennsylvania and Columbus, as well as its first long-haul corridor linking Columbus and Chicago.
"Lightpath is playing an increasingly central role in partnering with hyperscalers to build new fiber infrastructure to address AI-driven demand across the U.S.", said Chris Morley, CEO of Lightpath. "Fiber infrastructure remains a critical component in the evolving and accelerating AI ecosystem."
The company said the new builds extend its owned fiber network into markets where hyperscale and AI workloads are concentrating.
"Gigawatt scale AI campuses need more than fiber in the ground, they need a partner that can engineer an end-to-end connectivity solution across new construction, existing Lightpath network assets, and strategic partner fiber", said Tim Haverkate, Chief Commercial Officer at Lightpath. "Our ability to creatively combine those assets is what allows us to deliver route-diverse, multi-terabit capacity on timelines that match the pace of hyperscale AI development."
Lightpath said it owns, builds and operates an all-fiber network across major U.S. metro markets and is jointly owned by Optimum Communications, Inc. (NYSE: OPTU) and Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners.
