April 21 (Reuters) - Meta Platforms said on Tuesday it has begun construction on a new data center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, a project valued at more than $1 billion, as the Facebook-parent races to build AI infrastructure for securing computing power.
Like its Big Tech peers, Meta is locked in an intensifying race to build out massive data centers to power its ambitious superintelligence bet, even as environmental and consumer groups increasingly push back against the energy-intensive expansion.
Here are the details:
• The company said the Tulsa data center is expected to create more than 1,000 construction jobs at its peak and about 100 operational jobs upon completion.
• This will be Meta's first data center in Oklahoma and it will be located at the Fair Oaks Innovation Park, spanning more than 2 million square feet, according to the company.
• Meta said it will pay the full cost of water and wastewater service required to support the data center site.
• "We produce more energy than we consume in Oklahoma, giving companies like Meta the reliable and affordable power they need to grow and innovate," said Governor Kevin Stitt.
• Fortis Construction is the general contractor for the project.
• Meta said the Tulsa data center marks its 28th U.S. facility and 32nd worldwide.
• Last week, Reuters reported that Meta intends to conduct a first wave of sweeping layoffs planned for this year on May 20, with more coming later.
• CEO Mark Zuckerberg is pumping hundreds of billions of dollars into AI as he seeks to dramatically reshape his company's inner workings around the technology.
(Reporting by Jaspreet Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Devika Syamnath)
