Google Big Cedar Data Center

Status: Phase 1 Go-Live (Jan 2026)   |   Location: Big Cedar Industrial Center, Iowa

Project Overview

The Google Big Cedar project in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, represents the "next generation" of hyperscale development, officially commissioning its first operational data hall in January 2026. This launch is part of a broader $7 billion investment strategy in the state of Iowa, which has evolved from a traditional agricultural hub into one of the world's most dense clusters of digital infrastructure. Big Cedar is Google's second major campus in the state, complementing its long-standing presence in Council Bluffs, but with a radical new focus: atomic-powered AI.

The AI Infrastructure Supercycle As of 2026, the global data center market is in what analysts call an "investment supercycle," driven by the transition from cloud storage to AI factories. The Big Cedar campus is purpose-built to house Google’s latest custom AI accelerators (TPU v6 and v7). Unlike older facilities, this campus is designed for rack densities exceeding 60 kW, necessitating a total departure from traditional air cooling. The facility utilizes a high-efficiency closed-loop liquid cooling system that eliminates operational water consumption—a critical sustainability metric for Google’s 2030 "Water Positive" goal.

The Nuclear and Renewable Synergy What distinguishes the January 2026 milestone of Big Cedar is its power story. Google has entered into a landmark 25-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with NextEra Energy to support the restart of the Duane Arnold Energy Center, Iowa’s only nuclear power plant. While the plant restart is slated for completion by 2029, the Phase 1 launch is already being offset by the massive 200 MW solar array constructed on the surrounding lands. This "nuclear + solar" pairing provides the "always-on" baseload power that AI training clusters require, which intermittent wind energy alone cannot provide.

Economic and Community Integration The project has become the primary economic engine for Cedar Rapids. During the construction of Phase 1 throughout 2025, the site supported over 1,200 trade workers. Now operational, it creates high-skill roles for 100+ permanent employees. Google has also launched a $500,000 workforce development fund in the city to train local electrical apprentices and AI technicians. This community-centric approach has helped Google avoid the "local opposition" issues facing other developers in more congested markets.

Network and Latency Strategically located in the center of the United States, the Big Cedar campus acts as a central node for Google’s B4 global backbone. It provides ultra-low latency to the "Silicon Prairie" and serves as a vital bridge between the East and West Coast data center corridors. With the 2026 go-live, Google Cloud customers can now deploy localized instances of "Gemini" and other AI models with minimal "hop" time to major Midwestern urban centers like Chicago, Minneapolis, and St. Louis.

Conclusion The January 2026 launch of Google Big Cedar Phase 1 serves as a benchmark for the industry. It proves that gigawatt-scale AI ambitions can coexist with aggressive sustainability targets by leveraging carbon-free baseload energy and water-free cooling technologies.

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