Google considers building $600M data centre in Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS - Google is looking into building a $600 million data centre in central Minnesota that would be powered by two wind farms. Minneapolis-based Xcel Energy disclosed the data centre project Thursday in a regulatory filing. The Google facility proposed in Becker would mark one of the largest private construction projects in recent state history and create about 50 full-time tech jobs. Becker Mayor Tracy Bertram says the city is among several sites under consideration. Bertram says the plan calls for most of the facility’s electricity to come from renewable sources. Under the proposed agreement, Xcel would sell Google land for the facility and provide electricity service.