New Mexico Reviews Power Plan For Facebook Data Center

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — Social media giant Facebook is forging ahead with a proposal to build a solar-powered data center in New Mexico at a public hearing before state utility regulators. The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission is holding hearings Tuesday on a proposal from investor-owned utility Public Service Co. of New Mexico to provide renewable energy through an affiliate to the Facebook data center. New Mexico's largest electricity provider is seeking approval by the end of August. It says Facebook may choose to locate the plant in Utah, where Rocky Mountain Power has filed a similar application with state regulators. PNM says Facebook aims to have a data center in operation in late 2017. Its application estimates that Facebook would invest at least $250 million in the power-intensive data facility.