BEAVER DAM, Wis. — The end-user of a $1 billion artificial intelligence data center planned in Beaver Dam will be Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram.
In a press release Wednesday, Meta touted a 700,000 square foot facility that will use 100% clean and renewable energy, and restore 100% of the water it uses to local watersheds.
“Meta’s Beaver Dam data center will be optimized for AI as part of the highly advanced infrastructure that connections billion of people across the world,” Brad Davis, the Director of Data Center Community and Economic Development said. “We design our data centers with efficiency, flexibility and sustainability in mind.”
The company said the project would create about 100 jobs and bring 1,000 trade jobs during construction, with a goal to open the site in 2027. But Meta’s goal to be “water-positive” is slated for 2030.
“This once-in-a-generation project has been years in the making,” Beaver Dam Mayor Bobbi Marck said. “With it, our city enters a new phase in its growth.”
The project also includes wetland restoration on about 570 acres of former farmland around the data center, including 175 deeded directly to Ducks Unlimited.
“They can revitalize degraded wetlands, transforming them into vibrant, ecologically rich habitat that supports thousands of birds, native wildlife and plants,” said Davis.
Meta said it will donate $15 million to Alliant Energy’s Hometown Care Energy Fund to help cover home energy costs for local families. The company also plans to offer grants to local schools and organizations for STEM education.
The Beaver Dam site will be Meta’s 30th data center in the world. This follows the announcement from Oracle and OpenAI last month with plans for the Port Washington data center, and community feedback pushing a Microsoft project out of Caledonia.
