Meta Platforms Inc. Opens $1.2 Billion AI Data Center in Texas

Meta Platforms Inc. launched its first artificial intelligence-optimized data center in the United States in Temple, Texas, in July 2026. The $1.2 billion campus spans more than 760,000 square feet across two primary structures. Construction originally began in 2022, though the project underwent a redesign and restart in 2023.

Meta Platforms Inc. currently employs nearly 100 permanent roles in engineering, management, and maintenance at the site, having supported 1,200 trade workers during the peak of construction. To support the local community, the company provided $1.7 million in funding for Bell County nonprofits and schools, including a $400,000 grant for mobile STEM and AI learning labs in the Temple and Belton independent school districts.

To address environmental concerns, the facility uses a closed-loop liquid-cooling system and matches 100% of its electrical consumption with renewable energy. The company supports over 40 projects adding approximately 9,000 megawatts of renewable power to the Texas grid. Meta Platforms Inc. also intends to become water positive by 2030 via a regional conservation project designed to return 5.2 million gallons of water to the local watershed annually.