What's new.
Recent reporting and announcements on how data centers are changing, and what they are bringing to the places that host them.
Louisiana teachers get bonuses topping $50,000 as Meta builds nearby
Richland Parish collected $42.9 million in sales tax over nine months, more than double the year before. A local sales tax set aside for teacher pay turned that growth into checks for classrooms.
Microsoft: newest AI facilities use about as much water as a restaurant
Closed-loop cooling lets the company's latest data centers recirculate the same water instead of drawing fresh supply every day.
Federal lab finds data centers have held power rates down
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory estimates rates would be about 6% higher without facilities built from 2019 to 2024.
Loudoun County expects $1.3 billion from data centers next fiscal year
The facilities sit on 4% of commercial land and cover 38% of the county's general fund.
Meta community grants reach 328 schools and nonprofits
More than $94 million in total, including $5.6 million for New Albany, Ohio.
Amazon campus brings 400+ jobs to Montgomery County, Missouri
The project also delivers new roads and water lines to the surrounding area.
Microsoft passes $500 million in local water investments
More than 75 water and wastewater projects funded since 2020 under its community-first infrastructure commitment.
Google commits $75 million to AI skills training
The AI Opportunity Fund aims to help more than a million Americans build skills for the jobs ahead.
Virginia megasite approved at $100 billion
The Pittsylvania County campus is expected to create roughly 2,000 permanent positions.
Dark-sky lighting cuts nighttime glow by up to 90%
Downward, shielded fixtures with automatic dimming are becoming standard at new facilities.