Meta has officially broken ground on a new data center campus in Beaver Dam, marking the company’s 30th global facility and its first in Wisconsin. The project, valued at more than $1 billion, highlights Meta’s continuing investment in next-generation infrastructure engineered for artificial-intelligence workloads.
The facility, to be situated in the Beaver Dam Commerce Park in Dodge County, will cover around 700,000 square feet of technical and administrative space when completed in 2027. Meta said the Wisconsin site will feature the company’s latest “AI-ready” data center architecture — a design integrating high-density compute capacity and advanced cooling efficiency to support the training and deployment of large AI models across its platforms.
To power the campus, Meta is working with Alliant Energy to develop new grid infrastructure capable of delivering hundreds of megawatts of clean energy. The company and its partners expect to invest nearly $200 million in substations, transmission lines, and network reinforcements to meet long-term demand.
Consistent with Meta’s global sustainability goals, the Beaver Dam facility will be matched with 100 percent renewable power and employ dry-cooling systems that eliminate operational water consumption. Meta has also committed to local wetlands and watershed restoration projects to offset any residual water use. They have also pledged $15 million to Alliant Energy’s energy assistance fund for needy families and partnered with Ducks Unlimited to restore local wetlands.
Meta is actively working to power all its data centers with clean energy and has entered into long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) with independent power producers, including Treaty Oak Clean Energy, to support major utility-scale solar projects such as those in Louisiana. These agreements deliver hundreds of megawatts of renewable energy to local grids, advancing Meta’s sustainability and clean energy goals.
Jobs
Construction is expected to create up to approximately 1,000 construction jobs and about 100 permanent technical and operational positions once the data center is operational. The groundbreaking was also attended by state and local officials. Including the leadership of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation and Alliant Energy, along with the Meta leadership.
“Meta’s investment in Beaver Dam represents a generational project for Dodge County — one that strengthens our clean-energy infrastructure while expanding high-tech employment opportunities,” said WEDC Secretary and CEO Missy Hughes.
Company officials said the site selection reflects Wisconsin’s growing capacity to support large-scale technology infrastructure through workforce development, reliable renewable-energy resources, and pro-industry policy frameworks.
Site work, including grading and utilities relocation, will continue into 2026, with full commissioning scheduled in 2027. When operational, the Beaver Dam campus will join Meta’s growing North American data-center network supporting cloud services, AI research, and immersive digital platforms such as Horizon and Instagram.
Meta Beaver Dam AI Data Center: Project Factsheet
Overview of the Project
Developer: Meta Platforms, Inc.
Location: Beaver Dam Commerce Park, Dodge County, Wisconsin
Total Investment: $1 billion
Facility Size: 700,000+ square feet
Status: Groundbreaking complete, excavation underway, Nov. 12, 2025
Economic Impact
Jobs Created:
1,000 construction jobs (peak)
Permanent operational positions: 100
Infrastructure Investment:
Nearly $200 million in utility upgrades
New utility substations
Transmission Line Improvements
Improving network infrastructure
Tax Base: major growth for Dodge County and Beaver Dam
Sustainability Commitments
Energy:
100% renewable energy match for electricity consumption
Clean energy-powered operations
Water:
Dry cooling system (no water cooling needed).
Net restoration of water by 2030 (more restored than consumed)
Environmental:
On-site wetland preservation
Partnership with Ducks Unlimited for wetland restoration.
Creation of native habitat for wildlife, birds, and plant species
Community Support:
$15 million contribution to Alliant Energy’s assistance fund for low-income energy users
