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AL · State profile
Alabama Data Center Intel
Latest data center news, projects, power and policy across Alabama — updated daily.
Recent Alabama data center news
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Construction employment rises in 30 states over past year, AGC reports
The Associated General Contractors of America reported that construction employment increased in 30 states and the District of Columbia between May 2025 and May 2026.
- Main announcement: AGC reported state construction employment increased in 30 states and D.C. between May 2025 and May 2026; Texas added 18,700 jobs (2.1%), North Carolina added 13,600, Wisconsin added 9,000, and Wisconsin posted the largest percentage increase (6.2%); California recorded the largest annual decline at 13,100 jobs (−1.5%).
- Monthly detail and risks: From April to May, construction employment increased in 23 states and D.C., declined in 22 states, and was unchanged in 5 states; monthly leaders included Texas (+3,600) and Wisconsin (+2,900). AGC officials Ken Simonson and Jeffrey D. Shoaf cautioned that opposition to data center projects and uncertainty over federal transportation funding pose threats to future construction job growth.
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Canada's Beacon DC targets 275MW data center campus on California oil field
Beacon Data Centers has announced plans for the Golden Valley Technology Hub, a new 275MW data center development on the Elk Hills Oil Field in Kern County, in partnership with California Resources Corporation (CRC).
- Project details: 275MW Golden Valley Technology Hub on a 100-acre site with 400,000 sq ft (37,161 sqm) of data center space, an on-site substation, and closed-loop liquid cooling. The facility will be powered by CRC’s Elk Hills Power Plant with existing utility grid connections as backup and fifteen 2.5MW diesel generators for additional backup. Timelines for construction were not shared.
- Background and context: Beacon was launched by Nadia Partners (March 2023) as Beacon AI Centers and claims a portfolio of more than ten campuses representing 6GW planned capacity (projects in Alberta, New Brunswick, Texas, Kern County CA, Calvert AL, and Ohio). CRC operates the adjacent 550MW Elk Hills natural gas power plant, acquired the Elk Hills Field in 2018, and had previously said it would “evaluate potential data center sites and power needs” for offtake from the power plant.
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Google Invests $1.5 Billion in Alabama Data Center Expansion
Google has announced a $1.5 billion expansion of its Jackson County, Alabama data center campus (announced June 16, 2026).
- Main announcement: Google will invest $1.5 billion to expand its Jackson County, Alabama data center campus on the former Widow’s Creek coal plant site, repurposing existing infrastructure and electrical lines; the company has contracted to bring 300 MW of new power capacity to the Tennessee Valley region and will cover full costs of the power and infrastructure driven by its operations in line with the White House Ratepayer Protection Pledge.
- Background & complementary actions: Google is launching a $2 million Energy Impact Fund (in partnership with TVA and the Community Action Agency of Northeast Alabama) to support weatherization and energy-efficiency services for local schools and income-qualified households primarily in Jackson County; the company also plans to train more than 130,000 Alabamians in digital skills in collaboration with 150+ organizations. The article is an active announcement by Google and references a prior 2025 partnership with Kairos Power and TVA to supply up to 50 MW of advanced nuclear power to data centers in Tennessee and Alabama.
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We’re strengthening our presence in Alabama through new investments and community support.
Google has announced a $1.5 billion investment to expand its Jackson County, Alabama data center campus for 2026 and 2027.
- $1.5 billion investment (2026-2027) to expand the Jackson County, Alabama data center; Google will fund 100% of its own power and infrastructure costs and the site has operated since 2019 on a repurposed former coal-plant site. The announcement also includes a $2 million Energy Impact Fund in partnership with TVA and CAANEAL to support local energy efficiency and weatherization programs.
- Community and complementary commitments:$550,000 donation to provide STEM kits for fourth-to-eighth graders; ongoing local initiatives include water stewardship in the Paint Rock River Watershed, training over 130,000 Alabamians in digital skills, and having generated hundreds of full-time and construction jobs. (No additional implementation timeline for the Energy Impact Fund was specified in the article.)
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Tennessee Valley Corridor summit participants focus on AI, quantum initiatives
The state of Tennessee has pledged $43 million for the Tennessee Quantum Initiative (TQI).
- $43 million pledge by the State of Tennessee to the Tennessee Quantum Initiative (TQI) to build the ecosystem that moves quantum technologies toward real-world adoption; the initiative will increase access to quantum resources, support workforce development, and is linked to hiring through the K-Quantum Accelerator and plans for a 100,000-square-foot quantum foundry in Knoxville.
- Tennessee Valley Corridor National Summit (May 28-29, Chattanooga): attended by ORNL, DOE, UT-Battelle, U.S. Reps. Chuck Fleischmann and John Rose, and state leaders; ORNL highlighted its AI history (Oak Ridge Applied Artificial Intelligence Project, 1979), continued leadership in HPC/exascale via the Genesis Mission, and cited an industry partnership with Nvidia tied to Nvidia’s $5.5 trillion market valuation.
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Targeted Pressure: How Chinese Manufacturing Competition Impacts US States
The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) has published a report finding Chinese industrial policy is reshaping global manufacturing and harming industries across every U.S. state.
- Main finding & method: The ITIF report (June 1, 2026) analyzes one “national power industry” per state using County Business Patterns employment data, HS/SITC export proxies, and global market-share series to conclude that state-backed Chinese subsidies, export pushes, and overcapacity are driving down prices and pressuring U.S. producers in sectors such as semiconductors, batteries, aircraft, and fabricated metals.
- Key facts, numbers, and timelines:China plans ~$150 billion in semiconductor investment through 2030 vs. $52 billion under the U.S. CHIPS funding; the report cites $63.3 billion Chinese semiconductor spending in H1 2025, TSMC’s $165 billion U.S. investment announcement, GE Appliances’ $490 million Appliance Park investment (2025), and state/national export shares and HS-code trade series used throughout the analyses.
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The Breaking Points: Water Is the New Constraint for AI Data Centers
Data Center Knowledge reports that water infrastructure constraints are emerging as a major limit on AI data center expansion.
- Main finding: Large AI data center proposals are requesting multi‑MGD water capacities (example: a Virginia campus requested up to 2 MGD initially, with potential future demand up to 8 MGD) and explicitly require continuous evaporative cooling for uninterrupted operations; these projected demands often exceed municipal water and wastewater planning assumptions.
- Background and specifics: Researchers’ paper “Small Bottle, Big Pipe” estimates U.S. data centers could require 697 million to 1.45 billion gallons/day of new water capacity through 2030; Texas’ draft 2027 State Water Plan estimates roughly $174 billion in water infrastructure projects may be needed over the next 50 years to meet growing AI demand and related upgrades (reservoirs, treatment, reclaimed-water networks).
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Land and Expand: NVIDIA, IREN, Coatue, Microsoft, Switch, Cerebras, Core Scientific
NVIDIA announced two major partnerships to accelerate industrial-scale AI infrastructure deployment with IREN and Corning Incorporated.
- Main announcement: NVIDIA partnered with IREN to target deployment of up to 5 gigawatts of NVIDIA DSX-aligned AI infrastructure (focus on IREN’s 2-gigawatt Sweetwater campus in Texas) and separately partnered with Corning Incorporated to expand U.S. optical connectivity manufacturing (10x optical connectivity capacity increase; >50% domestic fiber production increase; construction of three new advanced manufacturing facilities in North Carolina and Texas). The IREN deal includes a five-year right for IREN to sell NVIDIA up to 30 million ordinary shares at $70 per share (potential consideration up to $2.1 billion).
- Background and details: The article details additional industry moves into powered land, gigawatt campuses, crypto-to-AI conversions, and domestic supply-chain expansion, including Coatue/Next Frontier & Fluidstack’s 430 MW Indiana campus backed by $5.7 billion in senior secured notes (first 65 MW online by July 2027), Digi Power X’s 10-year MSA with Cerebras for a 40 MW Columbiana, AL campus (initial contract ~$1.1 billion, potential $2.5 billion, Phase 1 ready-for-service targeted Dec. 15, 2026), CloudBurst’s Texas campus ($14.5 billion investment; 1.2 GW planned), and Core Scientific’s acquisitions and campus expansions (e.g., $421 million cash acquisition of Polaris DS LLC; Muskogee and Pecos expansions to ~1.5 GW gross power).
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FPH2 Expands Renewable Hydrogen Supply Partnerships in California
FPH2 has announced it is widening its renewable hydrogen supply network across California to serve public fleets, data centers, transit agencies, ports, and other stationary power users.
- Main announcement:First Public Hydrogen Authority (FPH2) announced expanded renewable hydrogen supply partnerships across California, aggregating demand from member cities (Lancaster, Industry, Montebello, Shafter, Fresno) and locking long-term offtake agreements with electrolytic and biogenic hydrogen producers; target production is roughly 20,000 tons of clean hydrogen by mid-2025.
- Background and implementation details: The initiative uses two primary pathways—solar-powered electrolytic hydrogen (onsite solar + electrolyzers) and biogenic hydrogen (gasification/reforming of woody debris and ag residues); Elemental Clean Fuels has acquired land in Los Angeles County to build a solar-powered hydrogen plant that will supply data centers, microgrids, transit buses, and light-duty trucks. FPH2 is also pursuing pilot projects, grant-writing, fueling station rollouts, technical studies, and training, with phased supply and delivery via the long-term offtake structure.
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Small modular reactors and microreactors under development in the United States
The U.S. Department of Energy announced renewed support for SMR development, including a $900 million funding tender and selection of vendors for the Energy Reactor Pilot Program.
- DOE actions: In March 2025 DOE reissued a tender for $900 million to promote SMR development and in June 2025 announced the Energy Reactor Pilot Program, selecting vendors (Aalo Atomics Inc.; Antares Nuclear, Inc.; Deep Fission Inc.; Last Energy Inc.; Oklo Inc.; Natura Resources LLC; Radiant Industries Inc.; Terrestrial Energy Inc.; Valar Atomics Inc.). Applicants are responsible for funding individual pilot reactor designs while the program aims to fast-track licensing and attract private funding.
- Defense and implementation details: The Defense Innovation Unit and military services are advancing microreactor adoption: the Army launched the Janus Program (sites shortlisted at nine bases) and the Air Force plans a commercial microreactor at Eielson Air Force Base with Oklo, Inc. supplying a sodium-cooled Aurora design targeting 1 MW to 5 MW by 2027; the Department of the Navy is soliciting offers for on-site SMRs and microreactors.