Peter Lorenz Chair-Elect Unirac, Inc. | Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce
Meta has continued to expand its operations in New Mexico, as outlined in a recent presentation by David Williams, Meta Community Development Regional Manager for the Southwest Region, to the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce (GACC) Board of Directors on August 28.
Williams reported that since 2016, Meta has invested over $2.5 billion in the state through its data centers. The company’s Los Lunas Data Center has brought significant economic and community benefits, including employing up to 1,100 skilled trade workers at peak construction and supporting more than 400 operational jobs upon completion. Since 2019, Meta has provided over $4.9 million in direct funding to schools and nonprofits in Valencia County and has issued more than 210 grants and sponsorships locally.
The Los Lunas facility is part of Meta’s global infrastructure network. Williams stated that all of Meta’s data center campuses are interconnected with long-haul fiber, either leased from third-party companies or built and operated by Meta itself. He added: “Globally, we are coming up on 30 campuses around the world, three in Europe, one in Asia, and the remainder here in the U.S. As Meta builds out our facilities, all of our data center campuses are interconnected with long-haul fiber that Meta either leases out from third-party companies or that we build and operate ourselves. In addition to this, we also interconnect continents to connect all our data centers, so a lot of emphasis and investment around infrastructure to make sure those three and a half billion plus users daily can share what support to them or what’s happening to their communities.”
Meta is working toward becoming water positive by 2030—restoring more water than it consumes—and matches its data centers’ electricity use with clean and renewable energy sources. The company reports achieving net-zero emissions across its global operations. Projects supported by Meta are contributing an additional 885 megawatts of new renewable energy capacity and 100 megawatts of battery storage within New Mexico.
In addition to infrastructure investments, Williams said Meta participates in several water restoration projects throughout New Mexico such as Middle Rio Grande restoration, Cedro Creek restoration, La Jara Wetland, Comanche Creek restoration, and Rito Penas Negras restoration.
Meta is also involved with the state’s “Be Pro Be Proud” program aimed at promoting technical skilled professions among students, parents, and educators. The initiative uses virtual reality technology in exhibition trailers for hands-on experiences across industries like construction and manufacturing while providing resources and workshops about career paths in skilled trades.
Chairman Peter Lorenz expressed appreciation for Williams’ presentation: “Chairman Peter Lorenz expressed appreciation for Williams’ insightful presentation and emphasized the significance of Meta’s presence, noting the development benefits not only for Valencia County but helps establish New Mexico as a key player in the technology sector as we all prepare for the future of AI.”
