Google data center (being explored in Lea County)
Google says it is exploring building a data center in Lea County, in the oil country of southeast New Mexico. It has not said where, how big, or when. It says it will pay for its own power and manage water carefully.
Where things stand: Google said in Sept. 2026 it is exploring a data center here. No site, size or county vote yet.
🕒 Latest update (Sept 14, 2026): Google announced it is exploring a data center in Lea County and is talking with local officials.
What we know
- 📍 Whereunknown, Lea County
- 🏢 CompanyGoogle
- 🏛️ Owned byAlphabet
- 👤 Built forGoogle
- 🔌 Where the power comes fromGoogle's project site says likely a mix of solar, wind and batteries; Google says it will pay for all the energy it uses.
❓ Still unanswered
Nobody has answered these in public yet. Can you help find out?
- Where in Lea County would the data center be built? 🙋 I'll find out
- How much water would it use once running? 🙋 I'll find out
- Will the county give it tax breaks? 🙋 I'll find out
What happened so far
- Sept 14, 2026Google announced it is exploring a data center in Lea County and is talking with local officials.
Local votes and rules
📌 Other
County commissioners agreed to consider more than $134 billion in tax-break bonds (industrial revenue bonds) for a Google data center with partner Excelsior: two large buildings on 1,890 acres of county-owned land, plus a solar field about 3 miles away. No final bond vote yet. The state Board of Finance must also review any county land sale.
📌 Other
County commissioners unanimously passed a resolution with guidelines for data centers. Data centers on the public power grid must not raise rates for homes or businesses. Operators must publish yearly water use, split by use. Water-hungry evaporative cooling is not allowed.
An aerial photo of the area.
Where this comes from
- Lea County, New Mexico · Google · Sept 14, 2026
- Google announces it is 'exploring' a potential data center in rural New Mexico county · Source NM · Sept 15, 2026
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