Facebook plans to build data center in Mesa powered by renewable energy

MESA, Ariz. (AP) — Facebook is building a data center in metro Phoenix that will use only renewable energy, the company announced Thursday.

Once completed, the facility in Mesa “will represent an investment of more than $800 million and will support approximately 100 jobs,” Facebook said in a statement.

The data center will house routers, switches, servers, storage systems and other equipment.

Power for the data center will come from three new solar facilities that will be built in Pinal County in conjunction with the Salt River Project, the company said.

Facebook said the Mesa facility will use 60% less water than the average data center, and that the water will be recycled several times before it’s discharged for agricultural use.

The company said it worked with the SRP to obtain water credits for the Mesa facility’s operations. “We will not draw water rights from the city of Mesa,” Facebook said in describing its sustainability efforts.

The data center will be located on Ellsworth Road north of Elliot Road, near the Eastmark community and Mesa-Phoenix Gateway Airport.