Data center gets $1.5B boost
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Google is pumping $1.5 billion into expanding its Jackson County data center this year and next, the company announced Monday.
The big picture: "Google data centers serve as powerful economic engines," per the announcement. "This expansion will build on the hundreds of full time jobs ... and the billions of economic impact the data center has driven in Alabama since 2018."
Zoom in: Google also announced $2 million for an Energy Impact Fund to support energy efficiency services and weatherization for local schools and income-qualified households in Northeast Alabama, mainly Jackson County.
- Another $550,000 is going to fund STEM kits for 4th-8th graders in Jackson County, per the announcement, giving students "hands-on learning opportunities to develop new skills and education for the digital future."
Catch up quick: The company began operations in Bridgeport in 2019, constructing its data center at the former Widows Creek coal plant.
- To help power it, Google is working with Kairos Power and the Tennessee Valley Authority through a power purchase agreement for up to 50MW of advanced nuclear power from Kairos' operations in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, set to be up and running in 2030.
- To date, Google says it has contracted to bring more than 300MW of new generation capacity to the Valley. And in line with the White House's Ratepayer Protection Pledge, Google said it will pay for 100% of the power it uses.
What they're saying: "By investing heavily in the students, small businesses and local organizations that form the backbone of Jackson County, Google aims to build a foundation of opportunity that will benefit the region long after construction is complete," Thomas Gamble, Jackson County site lead for Google, said.