Meta has broken ground on a new, AI-optimized data center in El Paso, Texas, a massive facility designed to eventually scale to one gigawatt of power capacity. The project, representing an initial investment of over $1.5 billion, marks a significant expansion of the company’s global infrastructure to power its growing artificial intelligence workloads. The new site is Meta’s 29th worldwide and its third in Texas, underscoring the state’s increasing importance as a hub for digital infrastructure.
This next-generation data center is a critical component of Meta’s long-term strategy to develop advanced AI and what it terms “personal superintelligence.” The facility will support the immense computational demands of training and deploying sophisticated AI models that underpin the company’s products, from live translation services to AI-powered business tools. The El Paso project is being developed in collaboration with The Borderplex Alliance, the region’s economic development agency, and is expected to create a substantial number of jobs and drive local investment.
Strategic Expansion in Texas
The selection of El Paso for this major project was driven by the area’s robust infrastructure, available skilled workforce, and strategic location. This facility represents a significant vote of confidence in the region, joining Meta’s two other data centers in the state. The company’s total investment in Texas now exceeds $10 billion, with a workforce of more than 2,500 full-time employees across its various facilities. Texas Governor Greg Abbott noted that the investment solidifies the state’s position as a national leader in artificial intelligence and innovation. Rachel Peterson, Vice President of Data Centers at Meta, emphasized that the company has been proud to call Texas home for the past decade and that the El Paso site marks an important milestone in its AI ambitions.
Advanced AI Infrastructure Design
The El Paso data center is specifically engineered to be a “powerhouse” for Meta’s current and future AI needs. Recognizing the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence, the facility is designed with flexibility at its core. This adaptability allows it to support a diverse range of computing configurations, accommodating both the traditional servers in use today and the next-generation AI hardware required for more complex models. The infrastructure is built to handle the compounding demands of AI training and inference, which are essential processes for developing and running AI systems. By building facilities with modular systems, Meta aims to ensure its infrastructure can evolve in tandem with its AI technologies, supporting everything from its current product suite, including Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp, to its long-term research goals.
A 1-Gigawatt Powerhouse
The facility’s ability to scale up to 1 gigawatt of power capacity places it among the largest data centers planned. This massive energy capacity is crucial for housing the tens of thousands of graphics processing units (GPUs) required for large-scale AI training. The scale of the 1,000-acre campus is a direct response to the escalating computational power needed to push the boundaries of AI research and development. Meta’s announcement described the site as “an example of industry-leading infrastructure” and a pivotal moment in its investment in AI work. To support this, the company has also financed new grid infrastructure, including new substations and transmission lines, through an agreement with El Paso Electric.
Economic and Community Impact
The project is set to provide a significant economic boost to the El Paso region. The initial construction phase alone is expected to create approximately 1,800 jobs at its peak, with general contractors JE Dunn and Hensel Phelps leading the effort. Once the first buildings are operational, the data center will support around 100 permanent, full-time roles. Beyond direct employment, Meta plans to integrate itself into the local community through various initiatives. The company will extend its Community Accelerator program to El Paso, which is designed to help small businesses enhance their digital skills and utilize AI tools for growth. Furthermore, Meta will introduce its Community Action Grants program in the area next year to provide funding for local community projects.
Commitment to Sustainability
Sustainability is a core principle in the design and planned operation of the El Paso data center. The facility is designed to achieve LEED Gold certification, a globally recognized standard for green buildings that measures energy efficiency, renewable power usage, water conservation, and waste reduction. A key feature of its sustainable design is an innovative closed-loop liquid-cooling system. This advanced system will require zero water for cooling purposes for most of the year, a critical consideration in the arid West Texas climate.
Water and Energy Stewardship
Meta has set a corporate goal to be water positive by 2030, meaning it aims to restore more water to the environment than it consumes. In line with this goal, the company has committed to restoring 200% of the water the El Paso facility does consume back to local watersheds. This will be achieved through partnerships with environmental organizations DigDeep and the Texas Water Action Collaborative. On the energy front, the data center will match 100% of its electricity consumption with renewable energy sources. This commitment ensures that the massive power demands of the AI facility will be met without increasing the carbon footprint, aligning technological growth with environmental responsibility.
