Facebook Begins Construction of Los Lunas Data Center

By Anca Gagiuc, Associate Editor

Albuquerque, N.M.—A month after announcing their decision to come to Los Lunas, Facebook’s billion-dollar data center has broken ground.

“Building the technology to connect the world and bring people together is a huge challenge, and to meet that challenge we need to build a global infrastructure that is as efficient, as flexible, and as sustainable as possible. Our new Los Lunas facility will be one of the most advanced data centers in the world—with the latest in hyper-efficient OCP hardware and network technologies—and it will be powered by 100 percent renewable energy, thanks to the new solar and wind energy we’re helping to bring to New Mexico,” according to an official statement from Facebook.

The facility has the potential for multi-phase development. The first phase of the project includes a 510,000-square-foot facility powered by 100 percent renewable energy. It will generate 30 full-time jobs and $250 million in investment. Moreover, Facebook expects the Los Lunas data center to support thousands of indirect jobs by way of construction, operations and services.

In return, according to the Albuquerque Journal, Los Lunas has promised Facebook a property tax break through $30 billion in industrial revenue bonds, a gross receipts tax reimbursement of up to $1.6 million annually and $10 million in Local Development Act funding. Furthermore, the state will offer Facebook access to $3 million in Job Training Incentive Program money.

Image via the Los Lunas Data Center Facebook page