California-based technology giant Google, a subsidiary of technology to internet company Alphabet Inc., is planning to construct a new $600 million data center in Becker County, Minnesota that will be powered by two dedicated wind farms.
The data center will create approximately 50 full-time jobs and about 2,000 construction jobs over a multiyear period. The facility will be situated on approximately 300 acres owned by U.S. electric services company Xcel Energy.
Xcel Energy noted that a major part of the transaction with Google was Xcel Energy’s ability to deliver 100 percent renewable energy to the data center.
Google’s agreement with Xcel Energy also includes three separate transactions for electricity service, sourcing for renewable energy and connection to transmission voltage in addition to the sale of land.