Meta, state and local officials announce $1 billion data center investment in Beaver Dam project

BEAVER DAM, WI. NOV. 12, 2024 – Gov. Tony Evers, company leaders, and state and local partners announced today that Meta is investing more than $1 billion in an artificial-intelligence-optimized data center campus located in Beaver Dam.

“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,” said Gov. Evers. “This investment will help ensure Wisconsin is meeting the demands of the 21st Century and creating good, family-supporting jobs to support the workforce in the Beaver Dam community and across the greater region. Wisconsin must stay one step ahead in harnessing AI technologies to remain a national and international leader in this work, and this announcement will help us continue to do just that.”

“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,” said Brad Davis, director of data center community and economic development at Meta. “We are excited to become part of the Beaver Dam community, and we look forward to a strong partnership with the city and the state for years to come.”

Meta anticipates the project will result in more than 1,000 skilled trade jobs on site at peak construction. The data center is expected to come online in 2027, after which it will support more than 100 operational jobs.

“I’m excited for the positive things this project brings to Beaver Dam, including the increased tax base and additional jobs,” said Mayor Bobbi Marck. “I am pleased to partner with a company that has a strong commitment to environmental stewardship and charitable giving, and I also look forward to building a strong partnership with Meta so that together we can continue to enhance our community.”

The data center campus will span over 700,000 square feet, with its operational buildings set to achieve LEED Gold certification. Meta officials said the project will be designed and built with efficiency, flexibility, and sustainability in mind, and the site’s electricity use will be matched with 100% clean and renewable energy. As part of its commitment to cover infrastructure costs to support the data center, Meta will underwrite nearly $200 million in energy infrastructure investments including network upgrades, utility substations, and transmission lines.

Alliant Energy, the energy utility serving Beaver Dam, continues to develop renewable energy generation sources across Wisconsin and energy storage that will serve increased energy demands and ensure reliability. Over the next ten years, Meta will also donate $15 million to Alliant Energy’s Hometown Care Energy Fund, aimed at providing direct energy cost assistance for families in need.

Meta has a goal to be water-positive in 2030, meaning the company will restore more water than it consumes. As part of this, Meta will restore 100% of the water consumed by the Beaver Dam data center to local watersheds. Additionally, the facility will use dry cooling, which means that there will be no water demands for cooling once it is operational.

In partnership with Ducks Unlimited and local conservation partners, the project will also restore 570 acres of biodiverse wetland and prairie surrounding the data centers. Of this, 175 acres of greenspace will be deeded to Ducks Unlimited and its partners for conservation work that will provide flood storage, filter nutrients before they enter the watershed, create new opportunities for wildlife viewing (particularly migratory birds and pollinators), and offer a place for visitors to recreate.

“Strong partnerships are at the core of successful conservation projects,” said Brian Glenzinski, manager of conservation programs for Ducks Unlimited. “We are excited to join Meta, the city of Beaver Dam, and the many other organizations that are prioritizing wetland habitat through this project.”

Located in Alliant Energy’s Beaver Dam Commerce Park, the location is Wisconsin’s largest certified site and has been shovel-ready for development since it was designated by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation in 2019.

“The Midwest is emerging as a hub for expanding large industrial businesses, from data centers to manufacturing and other cutting-edge industries,” said Becky Valcq, assistant vice president regulatory & data center services, at Alliant Energy. “Our Beaver Dam Commerce Park provides strong infrastructure and was specifically intended to facilitate economic development opportunities like this. We are proud to welcome Meta to the community. As the communities we serve grow, energy demand grows too. New and expanding businesses play a key role in helping to keep energy bills more affordable. We are moving at the speed of our customers – big and small – to help them thrive and improve the communities we call home.”

“Six years ago, leaders from Beaver Dam, WEDC, and Alliant Energy celebrated that the Commerce Park had been designated a WEDC certified site,” said Sam Rikkers, deputy secretary and chief operating officer of WEDC, the state’s lead economic development organization. “We knew that the combination of a great workforce, central location, and incredible infrastructure would attract a world-class investment. Meta’s decision to locate in Beaver Dam affirms the vision the partners had. Together, we are delivering a win for Meta, for Beaver Dam and for Dodge County, and for entire the state of Wisconsin.”

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.