Meta just made its biggest infrastructure bet yet, announcing a $1 billion-plus investment in its 30th data center in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. The AI-optimized facility marks a major milestone in Meta's infrastructure expansion, designed specifically to handle the company's most ambitious AI workloads while delivering unprecedented community benefits and environmental restoration projects that could reshape how Big Tech approaches local partnerships.
Meta is doubling down on AI infrastructure in a big way. The social media giant just announced it's breaking ground on its 30th data center worldwide, this time in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, with an investment exceeding $1 billion. The facility represents Meta's most ambitious push yet into AI-optimized infrastructure, designed specifically to handle what the company calls its "most ambitious AI workloads."
The Wisconsin location wasn't chosen randomly. According to Meta's announcement, Beaver Dam offers access to reliable infrastructure and a skilled workforce - two critical factors as tech companies scramble to build out the physical backbone needed for AI computing. The data center will be optimized from day one for Meta's expanding AI infrastructure, setting the stage for what the company describes as "the future of AI innovation."
But this isn't just another corporate expansion story. Meta's putting serious money where its mouth is on community impact. The investment will support more than 100 operational jobs once the facility is running, plus over 1,000 skilled trade workers during peak construction. That's real economic impact in a state that's seen its share of manufacturing shifts over the decades.
The financial commitments go deeper than just job creation. Meta will underwrite nearly $200 million in energy infrastructure investments, covering everything from network upgrades to utility substations and transmission lines. The company's also donating $15 million to Alliant Energy's Hometown Care Energy Fund, which helps cover home energy costs for families struggling with utility bills.
Then there's the environmental angle, which is where this announcement gets really interesting. Meta's committing to restore 570 acres of wetlands and prairie surrounding the data center. About 175 acres will be deeded directly to Ducks Unlimited for long-term revitalization. According to the company, this effort will "transform degraded wetlands into vibrant, ecologically rich habitats supporting thousands of birds, native wildlife, and plant species."
The water story is particularly compelling given the scrutiny data centers face over resource consumption. Meta's Beaver Dam facility will use dry-cooling technology, meaning zero water demands for cooling once operational. The company's also committing to restore 100% of the water consumed by the data center to local watersheds through on-site rainwater capture, water-saving fixtures, and native vegetation landscaping.
