Steven Ford

The purchase lands as Amazon accelerates data center development across the country, adding more than 3.8 gigawatts of capacity over the past year and looking for power-rich pockets in Southern California where such large-scale projects can plug in quickly.

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Data center growth has helped the California utility Pacific Gas and Electric Company lower electricity rates four times in two years, according to PG&E CEO Patti Poppe. All told, PG&E has cut rates 11% since 2024, thanks in part to data centers' load growth. PG&E's findings validate recent reports from other utilities and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, which show that data centers are paying their own energy costs. Plus, adding data centers to the grid can actually help lower energy costs for other customers. The data center industry remains committed to paying the full cost of service for the energy it uses. We will continue to partner with utilities, grid operators, and policymakers to advance the infrastructure needed for a reliable, affordable grid that supports economic growth for all customers. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/emjyPx4v

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This point in time in 2028 you will see one data center campus use more power than ALL OF LOS ANGELES. Epoch tracks most of the frontier data center projects that are “known”. Link: https://lnkd.in/gNhJMiZG I believe most of the power is coming from “Methane” and shipped onsite or piped to methane converters. This can be trucked onsite so no need for grid… Water use is lowering as they are circulating water vs bringing in net new for these facilities. The largest project is Microsoft with others from Amazon, Google, Meta, Open AI and X falling short but plenty large. Link: https://lnkd.in/g-n3KRyA Below is how Microsoft is Investing in people. This is the impact on the local community. This facility is a catalyst for economic opportunity. At its peak, we have employed more than 3,000 construction workers during daily peak activity, including electricians, plumbers and pipefitters, carpenters, structural iron and steel workers, concrete workers, and Earth movers. Once our first datacenter is fully operational, we will employ around 500 full-time employees, with that number growing to around 800 once the second datacenter is complete. We are committed to Wisconsin and other communities that host our cutting-edge datacenter, creating hubs for AI innovation where local businesses, nonprofits, students, and workers can all benefit from the growing AI economy. That’s why we partnered in Racine with Gateway Technical College to launch Wisconsin’s first Datacenter Academy, training more than 1,000 students in five years for high-demand datacenter roles. Across the state, Microsoft and more than 40 partners like the United Way, the University of Wisconsin, and the Wisconsin Technical College System have worked together and with Gener8tor to train 114,000 people in AI — including 1,400 people living in Racine County. We’ve also sponsored and helped to open the nation’s first manufacturing-focused AI Co-Innovation Lab on the campus of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. It results from a partnership with UW-Milwaukee, WEDC, Gateway Technical College, and TitletownTech (a partnership between Microsoft and the Green Bay Packers). The lab has already helped 23 Wisconsin companies — including Regal Rexnord, Renaissant, and BW Converting — turn AI ideas into real solutions.  A few of these companies are headquartered right in Racine County, like Wiscon Products, a family-owned precision machining company founded in 1945. Finally, to help more Wisconsinites access the world’s most advanced technology being built in their home state, we’ve expanded broadband access to more than 9,300 rural residents and delivered next-generation service to 1,200 homes and businesses in Sturtevant — bringing faster, more reliable internet to the places where people live, work, and learn. Do you want one in your back yard now?

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