Google unveils $13bn data centre investment plans
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Google unveils $13bn data centre investment plans

Sundar Pichai Google.png

Google CEO Sundar Pichai has outlined plans for a $13bn investment into new data centres and offices across the US, with some located in new areas.

In 2019, Google will plough around $13 billion into new data centres and sites, with major expansions earmarked for 14 states, according to Pichai.

The investment will see the creation of “tens of thousands” of new jobs, giving Google a presence in 24 US states in total, with data centres in 13 of these.

Pichai said: “Our US footprint is growing rapidly. In the last year, we’ve hired more than 10,000 people in the US and have made over $9bn in investments.

“These new investments will give us the capacity to hire tens of thousands of employees, and enable the creation of more than 10,000 new construction jobs in Nebraska, Nevada, Ohio, Texas, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Virginia.”

As part of the company’s commitment to 100% renewable energy purchasing, Google says it is making “significant” renewable energy investments in the US. “Our data centres make a significant economic contribution to local communities, as do the associated $5bn in energy investments that our energy purchasing supports,” said Pichai.

Among the new investments, the company is planning to expand its presence in Chicago and is developing new data centres in Ohio and Nebraska. The Wisconsin office is set to move into a larger space in the next few months, and last November it opened a Detroit office.

Google’s workforce in Virginia and Georgia will double, due to new offices and data centres. Data centres in Oklahoma and South Carolina will be expanded, and the company is developing a new office and data centre in Texas. The internet giant is also planning a new office in Massachusetts, which is home to one of Google’s largest sales and engineering communities outside of the Bay Area.

On the investment news in his state, Nebraska governor Pete Ricketts said: “Nebraska has built a reputation for itself as the Silicon Prairie and a hub for tech companies, start-ups and entrepreneurs.

“This announcement from Google underscores that reputation and will bring great opportunities for Nebraskans. We appreciate the work of all the partners who teamed up to successfully promote Nebraska as the destination for Google’s next investment.”

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