Facebook announces $800M expansion plan for Los Lunas Data Center
[anvplayer video=”5066489″ station=”998127″]
LOS LUNAS, N.M. — Facebook has invested more than $1 billion dollars into New Mexico since it set up shop in Los Lunas.
The tech company announced plans Wednesday to invest an additional $800 million over the next four years and help surrounding communities in the process.
"Currently our Los Lunas Data Center is six buildings, each about 30 data halls, and with today’s announcement we’re going to eight buildings,” said Community Development Manager David Williams.
The expansion puts the center just under 3.8 million square feet and brings Facebook’s total investment into the Los Lunas Data Center to $2.2 billion. That means more high-paying jobs, with benefits, will soon be available.
"We currently have jobs that we’re looking to hire for now, so we encourage people to visit our careers page,” Williams said. “We’re hiring for dozens of roles."
Officials say the data center currently supports 200 positions.
"Once all eight buildings are operational, we’ll take it to 400,” Williams said.
This major construction project is expected to take between three and four years to complete. While buildings seven and eight are in the pipeline, Facebook says it is employing more than 1,000 construction workers.
"Currently, a little over 70% of the subcontractors are New Mexico companies," Williams said.
He also said building six will be up and running by Thanksgiving, and these facilities are not small.
"Each building is about the length of four football fields, or you can also take a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier and drop it in a building without it touching either of the walls," Williams said.
Facebook is not only investing in its data center in New Mexico, the tech company also shared plans to restore 200% of the water that the center uses.
"Last year we helped restore 64 million gallons of water," Williams said.
In addition, Facebook announced a $225,000 grant that will bring free Wi-Fi to hundreds of homes in disadvantaged New Mexico communities next year.