Meta and the state of Indiana have announced an agreement for the construction of Meta's new data center, set to be a 700,000-square-foot campus in Jefferson City. The $800 million project, located approximately 825 miles from the state capital, aims to support Meta's global data requirements, including artificial intelligence (AI) operations. Construction is slated to commence in January, with a targeted completion date in 2026. The facility is expected to generate employment for up to 1,250 workers during peak construction periods, followed by support for around 100 higher-wage workers.
The new data center in Jeffersonville is designed to prioritize environmental sustainability from the outset. Meta's official announcement highlighted its commitment to powering the center with 100% renewable energy through investments in new renewable energy projects. Additionally, the data center plans to achieve LEED Gold certification, aligning with Meta's broader sustainability goals. The expansion is strategically timed for Meta, coinciding with the company's recent return to the trillion-dollar valuation club, marking its first entry since 2021.
Meta's resurgence in the stock market is attributed, in part, to its focus on generative artificial intelligence (AI). The company aims to bolster its GPU infrastructure, with plans to increase the total number of GPUs to 350,000 H100s. This ambitious initiative sets Meta apart from AI competitor OpenAI, which utilized approximately 10,000 GPUs for training ChatGPT. The state of Indiana is actively involved in the collaboration, with Governor Eric J. Holcomb's office announcing that Meta will receive a data center sales tax exemption for the initial 35 years of campus operation. This exemption may extend through 2074, subject to Meta's additional qualified investments in the location, potentially totaling 50 years of tax exemption.
