How Meta Plans to Power its Superintelligence Data Centre

Meta's latest venture in El Paso, Texas, marks a major step in the evolution of AI-optimised data centres.

Meta has begun the construction of its 29th global data centre, a large 1GW facility poised to be a cornerstone of its expanding AI infrastructure and its ambitious goal of achieving superintelligence.

This development not only solidifies Meta's foothold in Texas, making it the third data centre in the state but also signals a major investment in one of the most rapidly advancing digital infrastructure hubs in the US.

The project, a collaborative effort with The Borderplex Alliance, El Paso's economic development agency, is set to be a catalyst for local economic and technological advancement.

The initial phase alone represents a major investment of over US$1.5bn, promising to generate approximately 1,800 construction jobs at its peak and around 100 permanent operational roles.

Rachel Peterson, Meta's Vice President of Data Centers, expresses her excitement about the project, stating: "At Meta, we’re focused on building AI compute infrastructure that will fuel the future of personal superintelligence. I’m excited to announce more momentum as we break ground on our next AI-optimised data centre in El Paso, Texas."

A strategic investment in AI infrastructure

The El Paso facility is engineered for the future, designed to be a central nexus for Meta's burgeoning AI research and deployment.

It is being built to accommodate a diverse range of computing configurations, striking a balance between the high-performance requirements of current AI workloads and the adaptability needed for the next generation of systems.

This forward-thinking design philosophy highlights Meta's commitment to flexibility and resilience, ensuring their infrastructure can evolve in tandem with their AI models and tools.

The economic ripple effects of this venture are expected to be considerable. El Paso's strong infrastructure, skilled workforce, and strategic location make it an optimal site for Meta's expansion

The project is expected to deliver significant long-term economic benefits through direct job creation, support for local small businesses, and community investments.

Meta's Community Accelerator program will be introduced to empower El Paso's small businesses with digital skills and AI integration, fostering growth and innovation at a grassroots level.

This investment is a continuation of Meta's extensive presence in Texas, where the company has already invested more than US$10bn and employs more than 2,500 full-time staff across its data centres, offices, and research facilities.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has praised the investment, says: "Texas is the epicentre of innovation. Meta’s US$1.5bn investment in El Paso further cements our great state as the nation’s leader in artificial intelligence and innovation while creating new, good-paying jobs for Texans."

The local economic and community impacts

Sustainability will be a key consideration in the facility's design. With the El Paso data centre, Meta is targeting LEED Gold certification, a testament to its adherence to high standards of energy efficiency, renewable energy usage, water conservation and waste reduction.

An advanced closed-loop, liquid-cooled system will be implemented, which will require zero water for the majority of the year.

Then, as part of its commitment to being water positive by 2030, Meta will restore 200% of the water consumed by the data centre to local watersheds.

The facility will also be powered by 100% clean energy, with Meta financing new grid infrastructure to support its connection.

"We chose El Paso as the home for our next data centre for a variety of reasons, including strong talent, robust energy resources and great community partners," says Brad Davis, Director of Data Center Community & Economic Development at Meta.

"We’re grateful for the partnership across the community to date, and we are excited to continue our partnership with El Paso for years to come."

A commitment to sustainability

As construction moves forward, the site in El Paso is set to become a hub for the next wave of AI innovation, while simultaneously promoting local economic development and environmental stewardship.

This project exemplifies the evolving role of modern data centres in meeting both digital and societal needs.