Google announced on Monday that it plans to inject an additional investment of $1.7 billion into its three data center campuses in central Ohio as a means of fueling additional support. Having already operated a data center in New Albany, the company revealed in May plans to construct additional centers in Columbus and Lancaster in an effort to boost its artificial intelligence capabilities and other tools.
According to Google’s Vice President of Government Affairs and Public Policy Mark Isakowitz, the additional funds will be primarily used to complete the construction of the Columbus and Lancaster centers while also expanding the New Albany facility.
Data centers across the United States have quickly emerged as a promising source of revenue for local governments, while also consuming high levels of electricity and high-voltage transmission lines. But while many data centers receive incentives from local governments, Lt. Gov. Jon Husted revealed that no tax credits or other public incentives were offered to Google in exchange for opening its data centers.