Meta boosts investment in West Texas AI data center by over sixfold to $10 billion

Meta has announced a substantial increase in its investment for an upcoming artificial intelligence data center in El Paso, West Texas, raising the commitment from an initial $1.5 billion to $10 billion. The company aims for the facility to achieve 1 gigawatt of capacity by its projected completion in 2028. Gary Demasi, Meta's vice president of data center development, revealed the boosted investment at an annual Borderplex Alliance summit in El Paso. The project is expected to generate 300 new jobs upon completion and require over 4,000 construction workers during its peak building phase. Meta also stated its commitment to integrating more than 5,000 megawatts of clean power into the grid and mitigating water usage by partnering with nonprofits on water restoration projects, including providing fresh water to over 100 homes in Texas. Despite the significant investment and environmental commitments, data center projects across the country, including Meta's, have faced increasing opposition from residents concerned about water availability and escalating electricity costs. Meta's El Paso facility will utilize a liquid-cooled, closed-loop system, projecting water usage comparable to a typical golf course in the region. This El Paso site marks Meta's third data center in Texas and is part of the company's broader strategy to heavily invest in AI infrastructure, despite Wall Street scrutiny due to its lack of a cloud infrastructure business.