For the first time ABC‑7 was given a behind‑the‑scenes tour of Project Jupiter, Oracle’s new data‑center campus being built just outside Santa Teresa, New Mexico. The 700‑acre site – roughly the size of 530 football fields – will eventually host a complex of fuel‑cell power generators, a closed‑loop cooling system, and the data‑center facilities themselves.
Power and sustainability
During the tour, Executive Vice President Mahesh Thiagarajan, head of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, explained that the campus will ultimately contain about 7,000 fuel cells. Oracle says the cells generate electricity without combustion, a design intended to lower emissions compared with traditional generators.
Construction workforce and wages
Project officials reported that roughly 4,400 construction workers are on site, including more than 600 residents of Doña Ana County. “Construction workers make $40 an hour, and that’s the starting range for data‑center operations jobs,” said Mike Casey, Chief Operations Officer at STACK Infrastructure, the developer of the project. STACK also highlighted benefits such as a matching 401(k) and other perks for employees.
Water use and cooling technology
Oracle plans to use a closed‑loop cooling system that recycles water. The company estimates the data center will consume an amount of non‑potable water comparable to the needs of nine households, a modest figure given the size of the operation.
Economic impact and local hiring
Thiagarajan noted that more than 1,200 New Mexicans have already been hired for the effort. In addition, Oracle has pledged $50 million in tax‑benefit credits earmarked for a water‑infrastructure fund that will support local utilities and services.
Community transparency
To address concerns about transparency, Oracle announced plans to launch a public dashboard once construction is complete. The dashboard will provide real‑time data on air quality, noise levels, heat output, and water usage, giving residents direct insight into the facility’s environmental footprint.
Local sentiment
ABC‑7 anchor Mauricio Casillas observed that many residents in southern New Mexico are unfamiliar with Oracle’s operations and expressed a degree of distrust toward large tech firms. Thiagarajan acknowledged that building trust takes time, especially when a project of this scale is introduced to a community that has not previously hosted a data‑center campus.
Timeline
Construction is slated for completion in 2028, at which point the site is expected to become a significant source of high‑tech jobs and a catalyst for further economic development in the region.
Project Jupiter illustrates how major technology investments can bring both employment opportunities and infrastructure improvements to rural New Mexico, while also prompting local dialogue about environmental stewardship and community partnership.
Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
