Last week, Meta announced that it will break ground on a new $1 billion data center in Beaver Dam that will bring jobs and economic development to the area.
The project, which will add 1,000 new jobs for its construction and 100 permanent jobs, also shows how tech companies are prioritizing environmental sustainability issues after facing mounting criticism regarding data centers.
Meta officials expressed optimism about the project during their announcement, touting $200 million that will also be spent for infrastructure improvements surrounding the data center.
“We’re thrilled to announce Meta’s first Wisconsin data center in Beaver Dam. This is the perfect home for Meta for several reasons, including great local talent, strong community partnerships, and reliable infrastructure,” Brad Davis, director of data center community and economic development at Meta, said in a statement.
Still, tech companies have faced growing criticism regarding environmental issues with data centers, with some raising concerns that they use a substantial amount of water for cooling purposes. The Alliance for the Great Lakes raised concerns that data centers built near the Great Lakes could threaten America’s largest fresh water supply.
To address these environmental concerns, Meta has stated that it will restore 100% of water it consumes from the Beaver Dam to watersheds and use dry cooling, which means that it will not need any water for cooling after it is built. (RELATED: Wisconsin Supreme Court to Rule on Race-Based Scholarships)
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers also expressed optimism about the project, saying that the new data center cements Wisconsin as a ‘leader’ in advanced manufacturing. (RELATED: Timing Raises Eyebrows As Dems End Shutdown Post-Election)
“Wisconsin is a leader when it comes to biohealth and advanced manufacturing industries, and we’re excited to keep building upon this tradition as we become the home to new world-changing technology,” Gov. Tony Evers said in a statement.
