Meta Boosts Texas Power Grid with Data Center Deal

It appears as if Texas and Georgia have entered into a Data Center Lucha libre or cage match of sorts. Tech giant Meta has now struck a deal to power its two data centers.

The deal will bring four solar power projects to Texas, which will tie into the state's ailing power grid. Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick has served as a speed bump in the state legislature against Data Center companies, pushing for them to bring in their own energy instead of draining power from the existing power grid.

"We are excited to announce these solar projects with Zelestra," said Meta Head of Global Energy Urvi Parekh. The renewable energy from these projects will support our data center operations and our ongoing efforts to match our electricity usage with 100 percent clean and renewable energy."

This is big news for Texas, but it doesn't mean that Lt. Gov. Patrick is going to let his foot off the data center peddle.

In Georgia, Amazon Web Services (AWS) has announced that it will invest $11 billion to build infrastructure to support the growing demand for “cloud computing and AI technologies.”

While most people understand that their information lives in the “cloud,” most do not realize that this information cloud is housed in massive storage facilities, or data centers, across the nation.

AWS's newly-announced investment in Georgia is not the first time the tech giant has invested in the Peach State.

Since 2010, AWS has sunk in $18.5 billion into Georgia and added another $20.1 billion into the state's gross domestic product (GDP).

Georgia lawmakers are excited about the news, touting the state’s “business-friendly regulation.”

“Georgia is leading the nation in the recruitment of companies in the advanced technology sector. I’m proud to see continued investment from Amazon in my district and the state, and it is a testament to the business-friendly regulations and incredible talent pool that the Peach State has,” said Rep. Mike Collins in a statement to Dome Politics.