Meta Platforms officially broke ground on April 22, 2026, for a new data center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, marking a significant expansion of its physical infrastructure. The project, valued at over $1 billion, is part of a strategic initiative to enhance the company’s capacity for artificial intelligence and machine learning operations. Located in the Port of Catoosa area, the facility will serve as a critical node in Meta’s global network, which supports its suite of applications including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
The Tulsa data center is designed to be AI-ready from the outset. According to technical specifications released by the company, the site will feature advanced liquid cooling systems and high-density power architecture necessary to support the latest generation of AI hardware. The initial phase of the project involves the construction of two main data halls spanning approximately 700,000 square feet. Meta officials stated that the design prioritizes energy efficiency, aiming for a Power Usage Effectiveness ratio significantly lower than the current industry average.
Construction is expected to support approximately 1,000 jobs at peak activity over the next two years. Once fully operational, the facility will employ roughly 100 permanent staff, including data center technicians, electrical and mechanical engineers, and security personnel. Oklahoma Governor J. Kevin Stitt and Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum joined Meta executives at the groundbreaking ceremony. Governor Stitt highlighted the state’s competitive energy costs and existing infrastructure as key factors in securing the investment, noting that the project represents one of the largest private capital investments in the region’s history.
In line with Meta’s corporate sustainability goals, the Tulsa facility will be supported by 100% renewable energy. The company announced it has already secured several power purchase agreements with regional wind and solar providers to offset the facility’s electricity consumption. Additionally, the data center will utilize a closed-loop cooling system that Meta claims will reduce water consumption by 80% compared to traditional data center cooling methods. This focus on resource efficiency is part of a broader company mandate to reach net-zero emissions across its value chain.
The Tulsa project is a component of Meta’s broader 2026 capital expenditure program, which focuses heavily on scaling infrastructure for generative AI. Kevin Salvadori, Meta’s Vice President of Infrastructure, stated that the Tulsa site was selected due to its robust fiber-optic connectivity and access to a skilled local workforce. This announcement follows similar recent investments by the company in other domestic regions as it transitions its data center fleet to support the compute-intensive demands of its Llama large language models and integrated AI assistants.