Meta’s latest move in Texas signals just how intense the AI infrastructure race has become.
The company has increased its planned investment in a new El Paso data center campus to $10 billion, up sharply from an initial $1.5 billion estimate. The scale of the project reflects a broader shift across Big Tech, where capital is rapidly being redirected toward artificial intelligence capabilities.
At full capacity, the facility is expected to deliver 1 gigawatt of compute power by 2028—placing it among the largest AI-focused data centers in North America. The buildout will also have a meaningful regional impact, creating more than 4,000 construction jobs at peak activity and around 300 permanent roles once operational.
Meta’s strategy is clear: double down on AI while tightening spending elsewhere. The company has been scaling back initiatives like the metaverse and reducing headcount to offset the massive capital required to compete with rivals such as Google, Amazon, and Microsoft.
Energy and sustainability are also central to the project. Meta plans to match 100% of the data center’s electricity usage with clean and renewable energy, while implementing a water-efficient cooling system designed to recycle water and minimize consumption. The company estimates annual water use will be comparable to a typical West Texas golf course and has committed to restoring 200% of its water usage to local watersheds.
This announcement follows a similar $10 billion, 1 GW data center project in Indiana, underscoring the scale at which hyperscalers are building out AI infrastructure.
For Texas—and particularly the El Paso region—the investment highlights a growing role in the next phase of digital infrastructure: powering the compute backbone of the AI economy.
Author: phinds
