Meta’s $10 Billion El Paso Data Center: What It Means for West Texas

In July 2026, Meta and BlackRock announced a venture to finance, develop, and operate a major data center campus in El Paso, Texas, representing more than $10 billion in Meta investment. The campus is expected to have 1 gigawatt of compute capacity and begin bringing capacity online in 2028, according to Meta’s official announcement.

For El Paso, West Texas, and the broader data center investment Texas market, the project signals continued demand for large-scale sites that can support AI, cloud, power, workforce, and infrastructure needs—adding another major anchor to the state’s rapidly expanding data center landscape.

Jobs, Power, and Local Economic Impact

The El Paso campus will be Meta’s third of the Texas data centers, and will be one of the company’s largest AI infrastructure investments.

The project will support more than 4,000 construction jobs at peak and more than 300 operational jobs once complete, per Meta’s official announcement. These jobs will include skilled construction roles during buildout as well as permanent operational jobs in areas such as:

• Facilities management
• Electrical systems
• Heating
• Ventilation
• Air conditioning
• Networking
• Engineering

Meta also says it has worked with El Paso Electric to plan for the campus’s energy needs. The company also paid for new grid infrastructure required to connect the data center.

For El Paso, the investment adds a high-profile technology project to a region already known for logistics, manufacturing, cross-border trade, and workforce depth. The new data center also reinforces the connection between the Texas energy sector and next-generation digital infrastructure.

Why Meta Chose El Paso

El Paso offers a strategic mix of land, infrastructure, workforce, and regional access. The El Paso region for business sits within one of North America’s most important cross-border economic regions, supported by strong manufacturing, logistics, and trade activity.

That bi-national workforce advantage is also part of the region’s long-term business case. The El Paso–Juárez market gives employers access to a large, cross-border labor pool, while the broader West Texas region continues to attract energy, infrastructure, and industrial investment.

For hyperscale users, that combination can support both construction-phase labor needs and longer-term operational planning.

What This Means for West Texas’s Data Center Future

With Stargate and Vantage activity in Abilene and Meta’s campus in El Paso, West Texas is becoming a more visible part of the national AI and data center conversation.

The regional benefit also extends beyond one project. Data centers benefit Texas communities through:

• Construction activity
• Local supplier demand
• Utility planning
• Workforce training
• School partnerships
• New infrastructure investment when projects are developed responsibly

But the next phase of growth will be measured by more than investment announcements and megawatts.

Texas is now emphasizing responsible data center development alongside continued business growth. Governor Abbott’s recent data center standards call for projects to pay for needed electric infrastructure, account for power and water use, reduce impacts on surrounding neighborhoods, disclose incentives and ownership, and move through PUCT and ERCOT review before advancing.

For companies evaluating Texas for AI, cloud, or digital infrastructure growth, Meta’s El Paso commitment shows that West Texas can compete for major technology investment at scale. Contact TxEDC to learn how Texas’ data center growth can support your expansion, investment, and long-term infrastructure strategy.

Need to find a way to align with the Governor’s recent stance on data centers.