California Data Center Intel

Recent California data center news

• May 6, 2026

  UC Names Katherine Yelick to Head Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

  The University of California Board of Regents approved Katherine Yelick as the next director of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, effective July 1.

  • Appointment details: The Board of Regents approved Yelick following a national search and on the recommendation of UC President James Milliken; her appointment begins July 1, and she will replace departing director Mike Witherell.
  • Background and credentials: Yelick is currently Vice Chancellor for Research and Robert S. Pepper Distinguished Professor at UC Berkeley, served as NERSC director (2008–2012), led Berkeley Lab’s Computing Sciences Area (2010–2019), oversaw construction of Shyh Wang Hall (opened 2015), and played lead roles in the Exascale Computing Initiative (2016–2024) and DOE AI/big-data strategy work.
• May 5, 2026

  New Study Highlights Public Health Impacts of Gas Turbine-Powered Data Centers

  Piedmont Environmental Council (PEC) released findings from a commissioned EmPower Analytics Group study showing that permitted emissions from the Vantage VA2 data center’s onsite natural-gas turbines could cause substantial health damages.

  • Key findings and details: The PEC-commissioned EmPower study estimates $53M–$99M per year in health-related damages from permitted emissions at Vantage VA2 (up to $265M–$495M over five years), and 3.4–6.5 additional premature deaths annually; the Vantage VA2 facility uses eight natural-gas simple-cycle turbines and holds a permit for 51 diesel backup generators, and its emissions are estimated to reach more than 2.5 million people in the Washington, D.C. metro region.
  • Context and other facts: PEC published the study results and a public response after the Virginia DEQ released a critique focused on regulatory compliance; PEC notes DEQ is now setting up more air monitors and a Data Center Air Monitoring Project webpage. PEC also flags additional proposed onsite turbine projects: Digital Dulles (23 turbines proposed) and Remington Technology Park (13 turbines proposed) and highlights that >13,000 diesel generators are permitted across Virginia.
• May 5, 2026

  Arista Networks, Inc. Reports First Quarter 2026 Financial Results

  Arista Networks, Inc. announced its first quarter 2026 financial results and introduced XPO high-density liquid-cooled pluggable optics.

  • Main announcement: Arista reported Revenue of $2.709 billion for Q1 2026 (35.1% YoY growth) and cash flow from operations of $1.69 billion, and announced XPO high-density liquid-cooled pluggable optics designed to reduce networking racks by up to 75% and save up to 44% of floor space versus traditional pluggable optics.
  • Background and guidance: The company provided Q2 2026 guidance of ~$2.8 billion revenue, non-GAAP operating margin of 46–47%, and non-GAAP diluted net income per share of ~ $0.88; management quoted Jayshree Ullal and CFO Chantelle Breithaupt on execution and results. Conference call was scheduled for May 5, 2026 at 1:30 PM Pacific Time (US dial-in and webcast available).
• May 5, 2026

  Meta’s Space Solar Bet Spotlights AI Power Gap

  Meta has announced partnerships with Overview Energy and Noon Energy to pursue space-based solar power (SBSP) and long-duration energy storage as long-term capacity solutions, with initial orbital demonstrations targeted for 2028.

  • Main announcement and timing: Meta is pursuing SBSP and long-duration storage via deals with Overview Energy and Noon Energy, targeting demonstrations planned for 2028; these efforts are described as a long-term capacity bet rather than an immediate fix for AI-driven power demand.
  • Background and context: Near-term constraints include US grid interconnection delays (~5 years on average per LBNL) and transmission limits; Meta already has >30 GW of contracted renewable energy and 7.7 GW of nuclear capacity through partnerships with Constellation Energy, TerraPower, Oklo, and Vistra, while experts note SBSP remains largely theoretical and multiyear due to technical, efficiency, and deployment cost challenges.
• May 5, 2026

  ESS Inc partners with Alsym Energy for 8.5GWh of US sodium-ion BESS cells

  ESS Tech Inc has signed a letter of intent for a strategic partnership with Alsym Energy to add Na‑ion capacity to its portfolio.

  • Main announcement (LOI, 30 April): ESS Tech has signed a letter of intent (announced 30 April) with US sodium‑ion startup Alsym Energy under which ESS will add 8.5GWh of Alsym’s Na‑ion cells and modules and enter the short- and medium‑duration BESS segment alongside its existing long‑duration iron‑flow offering.
  • Background and context:ESS reported FY2025 net loss of US$63.4 million (an improvement of US$22.8 million vs FY2024); the company is pivoting to its Energy Base (12–14 hour LDES) product, acquired VoltStorage GmbH IP in February, and the move complements industry activity such as CATL–HyperStrong’s three‑year, 60GWh Na‑ion order; Alsym launched its Na‑Series (non‑flammable, non‑toxic) last October.
• May 5, 2026

  New Data Center Developments: May 2026

  Data Center Knowledge published a monthly roundup highlighting global data center project announcements, regulatory moves, and investment commitments driven by hyperscale AI demand.

  • Main announcement: The roundup catalogs multiple concrete project actions including Aligned Data Centers’ Project Caprock (540 MW, 313-acre campus in Hale County, Texas; initial delivery Q1 2027), EdgeCore’s completion of $1.5 billion in financing for two Northern Virginia hyperscale centers, and Yondr Group energizing a 27 MW Toronto facility expected in mid-2026. It also notes major investment commitments such as Digital Realty’s near S$7 billion Singapore plan (S$4.3 billion for new data centers) and AWS increasing planned investment in Mississippi to $25 billion.
  • Context and details: The piece outlines parallel regulatory updates in U.S. states (Maine vetoed a moratorium; Wisconsin revised We Energies tariff rules; North Carolina advanced legislation to require hyperscalers to cover infrastructure costs), workforce and partnership initiatives (Equinix Foundation with ODATA, Cisco, Vertiv launching training in Brazil, cohorts mid-2026), and other regional projects and financings (TikTok €1 billion Finland site; Ark Data Centres >€600 million Barcelona project; Equinix land purchases in South Africa totaling ZAR 890 million).
• May 4, 2026

  AI Needs Power. Scaling It Without Raising Ratepayer Costs Requires a New Power Strategy.

  Joel Yu (via LinkedIn) recommends that developers pair grid electricity with flexible onsite generation to accelerate AI data center deployment while protecting ratepayers.

  • Main announcement/action: Joel Yu argues that pairing grid electricity with flexible onsite generation enables developers to energize AI data centers earlier (using onsite generation as prime power) while utilities complete interconnection upgrades, helping protect ratepayers; the article notes typical hyperscale data center loads of hundreds of megawatts and describes a phased transition to full grid service when available.
  • Details & context: The piece cites ERock constructing a Northern California power system for a Microsoft facility that pairs grid supply with ultra-low-emission natural gas generation offset by renewable natural gas and CARB DG compliant, describes the role of such assets in CAISO resource adequacy, and references the White House Ratepayer Protection Pledge, federal regulators drafting new interconnection rules, and stretched interconnection timelines that are creating deployment bottlenecks.
• May 4, 2026

  Pixxel Partners Sarvam To Launch Orbital Data Centre Satellite By Q4 2026

  Pixxel has announced plans to build, launch and operate an orbital data-centre satellite named Pathfinder, in partnership with AI startup Sarvam, targeting a launch in Q4 2026.

  • Main announcement:Pixxel will design, build, launch and operate a 200-kg satellite called Pathfinder with a targeted launch in Q4 2026; the satellite will host terrestrial data centre-class GPUs, run Sarvam’s full-stack language models and inference onboard, and be designed at Pixxel’s upcoming Gigapixxel manufacturing facility (capacity: 100 satellite units).
  • Background and details: Partnership responsibilities are split—Pixxel handles satellite manufacturing, launch and operations while Sarvam handles AI training and inference directly in orbit; Pixxel is described as Google-backed and has reported total funding of ~$98M; the announcement references contemporaneous industry activity including an OptoSAR launch by GalaxEye and MoU between NeevCloud and Agnikul for LEO inference infrastructure.
• May 3, 2026

  Energy group asks Congress to investigate potentially foreign-backed campaigns against AI data centers

  Power the Future has asked Congress to open formal investigations into funding it alleges is incentivizing nonprofits and local groups to oppose data center and AI projects.

  • Requested action: Power the Future sent a letter to Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.) and Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) asking committees to open formal investigations into what it describes as a “coordinated, billionaire-funded, and potentially foreign-backed political campaign” to block construction of data center and AI infrastructure. The group reports 188 local opposition groups across 24 states and cites grant reporting that New Venture Fund, the Sierra Club Foundation and the Sixteen Thirty Fund collectively received over $13 million from pro-environmental donors.
  • Background/details: The letter raises concerns that U.S. nonprofit donor disclosure laws can shield donors from public disclosure; it names environmental organizations (Sierra Club, Food and Water Watch, Earthjustice, Goods Jobs First, Piedmont Environmental Council, Southern Environmental Law Center, MediaJustice, Athena Coalition) as recipients of funding they say has been spent opposing data center expansions. Power the Future founder Daniel Turner acknowledges some legitimate local concerns but urges scrutiny of the scale and source of funding. The letter quotes Interior Secretary Doug Burgum calling opposition a “surrender” to China. No formal investigation timeline is provided in the article.
• May 1, 2026

  Scenes from the great data center revolt

  Andy Patrizio reports growing community and political pushback against multiple proposed data center projects across the United States.

  • Widespread local opposition and legal/political actions: Multiple communities have moved from passive concern to active resistance, including a recall of four Festus, Missouri city council members after approval of a $6 billion, 360-acre data center proposal; a citizens’ lawsuit in Hermantown, Minnesota to block a $1.5 billion Google “Project Loon” site; and a coalition in Pennsylvania seeking a three-year moratorium plus legislation (HB 2150, HB 1834, HB 2151) requiring reporting on energy/water use, banning cost-shifting to residents, and a model zoning ordinance.
  • Project specifics and mitigations for two large developments: In Box Elder County, Utah, a Kevin O’Leary–backed hyperscale campus on 40,000 acres plans an initial ~3 GW power need and up to 9 GW at full buildout with on-site power via the Ruby Pipeline (MIDA says “100% of the power will be generated off the Ruby Pipeline”); Wyoming’s Project Jade expanded from 1.8 GW to 2.7 GW (designer says theoretically up to 10 GW) and proposes closed-loop water cooling with initial fill equivalent to ~20 households and ongoing use equivalent to <3 households per year.