Google Project Jackalope Wilbarger: $40B Texas AI Data Center

Status: Pre-Construction / Site Preparation (March 2026)   |   Location: Vernon (Wilbarger County), Texas

Project Overview

Project Jackalope stands as a cornerstone of Google’s $40 billion investment in Texas, announced in late 2025, and reflects a significant shift in how hyperscale data centers are designed and powered. Developed in partnership with AES Corporation, the project adopts a “Power First” co-location model, meaning the data center is built directly alongside newly developed clean energy generation assets. As of February 27, 2026, Google finalized agreements ensuring that the facility will be energized by its own dedicated power supply from day one, reducing dependency on the broader Electric Reliability Council of Texas grid and minimizing strain on regional infrastructure. This approach represents a growing trend among hyperscalers to secure reliable, scalable, and sustainable energy sources in parallel with compute expansion.

From a technical standpoint, Project Jackalope is also notable for its waterless design architecture, a critical innovation given the arid conditions of West Texas. Instead of traditional water-intensive cooling systems, the facility will deploy advanced air-cooling technologies that eliminate operational water consumption for server cooling. This not only enhances sustainability but also aligns with increasing regulatory and environmental pressures around water usage in data center operations. Beyond infrastructure, the project is expected to deliver substantial economic benefits to the city of Vernon, driving job creation and local investment. Complementing this, Google has committed $30 million to an Energy Impact Fund aimed at improving energy affordability and supporting weatherization initiatives for local residents, reinforcing the project’s broader community and sustainability objectives.

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