DeKalb, we are online!

Meta is thrilled to announce the DeKalb Data Center is now serving traffic. That means this data center is now part of our global infrastructure that brings Meta Technologies and services to life, making it possible to connect billions of people worldwide. 

Since Meta broke ground on this data center in 2020, DeKalb has become our home. Meta  chose this location because it offered excellent infrastructure, access to renewable energy, a strong pool of talent for both construction and operations staff, and great community partners that have helped Meta move forward quickly. Construction of the DeKalb Data Center has resulted in an average of 1,200 skilled trade workers on site at peak. Once fully operational, Meta anticipates this facility will support more than 200 jobs and will represent an investment of more than $1 billion in the state of Illinois.

From the beginning, Meta has been committed to being an active part of the community and investing in its long-term vitality. As part of that commitment, we are also announcing today a new partnership with Northern Illinois University (NIU) through a program that addresses the gap of underrepresented populations in STEM careers. Meta is supporting the NIU Barb City STEAM Studio — a new, year-round initiative on the NIU campus designed to increase college and career readiness for DeKalb School District 428’s DeKalb High School students interested in engineering, robotics and other in-demand fields.

Like all of Meta data centers, DeKalb Data Center is supported by 100% renewable energy. Meta has contracts in place for two projects in DeWitt and Morgan counties that are adding 300 megawatts of renewable energy in Illinois. Meta also prioritizes water stewardship, and we have the global goal to be water positive in 2030. Our water stewardship program focuses on minimizing data center water use, restoring water to local watersheds, and being transparent with our water data. This data center is also the site of a pilot project, done in partnership with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, to develop a more sustainable concrete mix with the help of artificial intelligence.

Meta is thrilled to work alongside to, Afton Township, DeKalb County Government, City of DeKalb, DeKalb County Economic Development Corporation – DCEDC, Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity, ComEd, the Kishwaukee Water Reclamation District, Mortenson, and all of our local partners for helping us get to today. Meta is extremely proud to be part of the DeKalb community and look forward to continuing to strengthen our partnership for years to come.

Follow our DeKalb Data Center journey