OKLAHOMA CITY (OBV) — Meta said it is breaking ground on a new AI-optimized data center in Tulsa, marking the company’s first data center in Oklahoma, its 28th in the U.S., and 32nd globally.
Meta said the Tulsa facility represents an investment of more than $1 billion in the region and is expected to support about 1,000 construction jobs at peak and about 100 jobs once operational. The company also said it will invest more than $25 million in local infrastructure improvements, including roads and water infrastructure.
On workforce development, Meta said it is partnering with Tulsa Tech and Tulsa Community College on a cross-institutional program and learning lab for digital infrastructure careers, with an anticipated pipeline of 200+ graduates annually across technical trades (including cooling simulation, fiber optics and structured cabling) as well as AI and data analytics programming. Meta also said it is supporting East Tulsa projects through a grant to Eastside Rise to expand neighborhood enhancement efforts.
Meta said the site will use a closed-loop, liquid-cooled system designed to minimize water use and that it expects to use zero water for a majority of the year. The company said it will pay the full costs of water and wastewater service required for the facility so costs are not passed on to consumers, and it described additional water and utility assistance programs, including a water-bill support fund developed with the Tulsa Community Foundation.
On energy, Meta said the facility’s electricity use will be matched with 100% clean energy, and it said it is adding more than 1,500 megawatts of clean energy to Oklahoma’s grid and will contribute to PSO’s Light a Life Program to assist customers struggling to pay energy bills.
