Amazon Earmarks $12 Billion for Louisiana Data Centers
Amazon will invest $12 billion in data center campuses in Louisiana that will support its artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing technologies, the company said in a Monday (Feb. 23) press release.
The company will fully fund the infrastructure needed to power its operations. That includes working with a local utility to ensure Amazon covers all the expenses for new energy infrastructure and upgrades required to serve the data centers, investing in solar energy projects in Louisiana to add as much as 200 MW of carbon-free energy to the grid, and investing up to $400 million in public water infrastructure to support the data center campuses, according to the release.
“Amazon’s $12 billion investment in northwest Louisiana will build next-generation data center campuses to support AI and cloud computing, ensuring opportunities for local communities,” David Zapolsky, chief global affairs and legal officer at Amazon, said in the release.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said in the release that Amazon selected Louisiana for these projects because of the state’s prime sites, infrastructure and workforce.
“Investments of this magnitude put Louisiana at the center of operations relied on across the country and connect our communities to jobs that power how Americans live, work and do business,” Landry said.
Amazon is partnering with digital infrastructure firm STACK Infrastructure, the developer and owner of the campuses, to build the data center facilities.
Matt VanderZanden, CEO of STACK Americas, said in the release: “This development reflects our commitment to investing at scale in ways that support long-term operations, strengthen local systems and contribute to sustained regional growth.”
In an earlier, separate announcement, Amazon Web Services (AWS) said in January that it plans to invest at least $11 billion in Georgia to expand infrastructure to support cloud computing and AI technologies.
“AWS’s ongoing infrastructure investments across the United States demonstrate our relentless commitment to powering our customers’ digital innovation through cloud and AI technologies,” Roger Wehner, vice president of economic development at AWS, said at the time in a press release.
In June, Amazon said it was investing at least $20 billion in Pennsylvania to expand its data center infrastructure.
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