Since Google’s landmark $7 billion investment announcement in May, the tech giant has moved aggressively to secure the infrastructure and partnerships needed to support its expanding Iowa operations.
In October, Google revealed plans for a second data center complex in Linn County near the Duane Arnold Energy Center nuclear plant in Palo. The proposed six-building facility would join Google’s Cedar Rapids data center, already under construction in the Big Cedar Industrial Park.
The scale of Google’s data infrastructure prompted Linn County supervisors to commission a water resources study to assess whether local supplies can meet current and future development needs. Google is funding the independent study, expected to be completed by spring. The proposed Duane Arnold-area data center could require 12 to 14 million gallons of water daily.
Google’s most significant development came in late October, when the company signed a 25-year power purchase agreement with NextEra Energy to acquire the majority of electricity from a restarted Duane Arnold nuclear plant. The agreement, which would provide clean energy for Google’s Iowa data centers beginning in 2029, was instrumental in NextEra’s decision to move forward with restarting the facility, which ceased operations in 2020.
The partnership ensures all power from the restarted plant will remain in Iowa, with Google purchasing most output while Central Iowa Power Cooperative uses an estimated 50 megawatts for its customers. Google and NextEra also signed an agreement to explore developing new nuclear generation facilities nationwide.
On the workforce development front, Google partnered with Coe College in November through its AI for Education Accelerator program, providing students access to advanced AI tools including Gemini Pro and career certificates. The partnership builds on Google’s earlier commitment to offer AI training across Iowa’s K-12 schools and 15 community colleges.
This update is a part of the CBJ’s Newsmakers edition. This year-end wrap-up from the staff of the Corridor Business Journal is a compilation of the year’s most noteworthy articles and projects, as told through stories that appeared in the bi-weekly issues of the CBJ.
Read the accompanying story, published in May of 2025:
Google to invest another $7 billion in Iowa in next two years
