Meta breaks ground on $10 billion Indiana data center to accelerate AI infrastructure buildout

Meta to Spend More Than $10 Billion on Indiana-Based Data Center

The new Indiana campus will support more than 4,000 construction workers and create 300 longer-term jobs, with Meta investing more than $120 million into local infrastructure improvements. Meta Platforms Inc. said it will spend more than $10 billion to build a data center campus in Lebanon, Indiana, ranking it among the company's largest artificial intelligence infrastructure investments to date. Meta on Wednesday broke ground on the Lebanon site, which it expects to deliver one gigawatt of power to potentially support both its AI projects and core social media business. The data center will span 4 million square feet and is expected to be operational at the end of 2027 or in early 2028, according to Rachel Peterson, Meta's vice president of data centers. Peterson said in an interview that the scale of Meta's investment in the Lebanon campus makes its one of the company's largest yet when it comes to data centers -- placing the project on a shortlist that includes Meta's "Hyperion" campus in Louisiana and "Prometheus" in Ohio. Meta's $10 billion investment in Lebanon will take place over several years. Meta Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg has made AI the company's top priority, spending aggressively to amass the infrastructure he sees as necessary to winning an AI race. Last month, Meta said it expects to spend as much as $135 billion this year on capital expenditures, which include AI infrastructure projects -- a record amount far surpassing its 2025 spending. The company has a fleet of more than 30 data centers either operational, or currently being built. The new Indiana campus will be Meta's second data-center venture in the state. At the peak of construction, the company expects to support more than 4,000 construction workers, and once operational, it anticipates the need for 300 longer-term jobs. Meta said it will invest more than $120 million into local infrastructure improvements over the course of the project.

Meta begins construction of $10 billion Indiana data center to boost AI capabilities

Feb 11 (Reuters) - Meta (META.O), opens new tab said on Wednesday it was breaking ground on a $10 billion data center in Indiana, as it races to secure the massive amounts of computing power needed to support its artificial intelligence ambitions. The facility is designed to deliver 1 gigawatt of capacity once operational, the social media giant said. According to U.S. power grid operators, that is the equivalent of powering about 800,000 homes. The announcement comes as Meta and other big tech companies compete to out-build each other with increasingly supersized data centers to get ahead in what executives see as a once-in-a-generation AI race, even as environmental and consumer groups increasingly push back against the energy-intensive expansion. Meta said in November that it will invest $600 billion in U.S. infrastructure and jobs over the next three years, including data centers. Rachel Peterson, Meta's vice president for data centers, told Reuters the new facility in Lebanon, Indiana, should come online at the end of 2027 or early 2028. "We're going to be pushing a lot of capacity through construction very quickly at this site," said Peterson. She said Meta had agreements with local utility providers in place to supply power to the data center and was "paying our own way" for related energy infrastructure upgrades. Meta sealed a $27 billion financing deal in October with alternative asset manager Blue Owl Capital to fund a 2-gigawatt Louisiana data center, its biggest project globally, and said it would invest $1.5 billion in a data center in Texas. U.S. environmental law group Earthjustice asked utility regulators to investigate the financing of the Louisiana project last month, saying it threatens to leave everyday homes and businesses on the hook for build-out costs. Peterson declined to comment on financing plans for the Indiana facility, but said Meta was covering the full $10 billion investment at the outset. Reporting by Katie Paul in New York and Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Alan Barona and Aurora Ellis Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab

Meta starts construction on $10B, 1GW AI data hub in Indiana

Meta is breaking ground on a 1 gigawatt data center campus in Lebanon, Indiana, marking one of the company's largest infrastructure investments to date. The project represents more than $10 billion in spending on data center infrastructure and related community development.The Lebanon site will be Meta's second data center location in Indiana. Once fully operational, the campus is designed to deliver 1GW of capacity, giving the company flexibility to run both its core digital platforms and fast-growing AI workloads.As AI systems demand more compute power, gigawatt-scale facilities are becoming critical. Large campuses allow companies to centralize high-density computing while supporting higher bandwidth, lower latency and improved reliability.Meta says the Indiana site is built with long-term expansion and technology shifts in mind. The scale is intended to support both existing services and future AI ambitions without building separate facilities for each.Built For Gigawatt ScaleAt peak construction, the project is expected to support more than 4,000 jobs. Once operational, about 300 permanent positions will remain at the site.Beyond direct employment, Meta is launching a Boone County-wide workforce development initiative through the Boone County Career Collaborative. The program will focus on career exploration and work-based learning for students across three school districts, connecting classrooms with local employers.The company is also committing financial support to local residents. It will provide $1 million each year for 20 years to the Boone REMC Community Fund to help families with energy bills. Additional funding will support emergency water utility assistance through The Caring Center.Meta says it will pay the full cost of the energy, water and wastewater services required to run the facility. Over the course of the project, the company plans to invest more than $120 million in critical water infrastructure in Lebanon, along with upgrades to roads, transmission lines and other utilities.Powering AI ResponsiblyThe data center will match 100% of its electricity use with clean energy, according to the company. It is also targeting LEED Gold certification once operational.To reduce water use, the site will rely on a closed-loop, liquid-cooled system that recirculates the same water. Meta says the system will use zero water for a majority of the year.The company also plans to restore 100% of the water it consumes at the Lebanon facility back to local watersheds. As part of that effort, Meta is partnering with Arable to deploy irrigation technology for independent farmers in Indiana's Upper Wabash River Basin. The initiative is expected to restore 200 million gallons of water per year for ten years while lowering irrigation costs.In addition, a section of Deer Creek will be revitalized to improve wetland health, expand vegetation and create better habitats for pollinators.Meta says it aims to be a long-term partner in the region as the campus comes online, positioning the Lebanon site as both a compute hub for AI and a major economic engine for Boone County.

Meta begins construction of $10 billion Indiana data center to boost AI capabilities

Feb 11 (Reuters) - Meta said on Wednesday it was breaking ground on a $10 billion data center in Indiana, as it races to secure the massive amounts of computing power needed to support its artificial intelligence ambitions. The facility is designed to deliver 1 gigawatt of capacity once operational, the social media giant said. According to U.S. power grid operators, that is the equivalent of powering about 800,000 homes. The announcement comes as Meta and other big tech companies compete to out-build each other with increasingly supersized data centers to get ahead in what executives see as a once-in-a-generation AI race, even as environmental and consumer groups increasingly push back against the energy-intensive expansion. Meta said in November that it will invest $600 billion in U.S. infrastructure and jobs over the next three years, including data centers. Rachel Peterson, Meta's vice president for data centers, told Reuters the new facility in Lebanon, Indiana, should come online at the end of 2027 or early 2028. "We're going to be pushing a lot of capacity through construction very quickly at this site," said Peterson. She said Meta had agreements with local utility providers in place to supply power to the data center and was "paying our own way" for related energy infrastructure upgrades. Meta sealed a $27 billion financing deal in October with alternative asset manager Blue Owl Capital to fund a 2-gigawatt Louisiana data center, its biggest project globally, and said it would invest $1.5 billion in a data center in Texas. U.S. environmental law group Earthjustice asked utility regulators to investigate the financing of the Louisiana project last month, saying it threatens to leave everyday homes and businesses on the hook for build-out costs. Peterson declined to comment on financing plans for the Indiana facility, but said Meta was covering the full $10 billion investment at the outset. (Reporting by Katie Paul in New York and Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Alan Barona and Aurora Ellis)