LOS LUNAS, N.M. (KRQE) – Facebook released a study in partnership with RTI International on the economic contributions of Facebook data centers and their impact in the United States from 2017 to 2019. The study finds the social media company’s investments through capital expenditures, operating expenses, and direct wages in data centers totaled $11.5 billion, supported over 178,000 jobs nationwide, and contributed a cumulative $18.6 billion to the U.S. GDP.

Facebook has eight operating data center locations nationwide with five more under construction. The Los Lunas Data Center that started serving traffic in 2019, reportedly represents an investment of over $1 billion in New Mexico, employed 1,100 construction jobs at its peak, and currently supports 300 jobs.

When completed, the Los Lunas Data Center will be a 2.8 million-square-foot facility that aims to support global operations with 100% renewable energy by the end of 2020. Facebook reports that through its Community Action Grants program, the company funded the local community through grant recipients including the Los Lunas Public Library, New Mexico MESA Incorporated, Rural Education Advancement Program, and the Valencia County Literacy Council.

During COVID-19, Facebook also states that the company supported Belen Schools, Los Lunas Schools, and the Pueblo of Isleta Elementary School to help provide access to remote learning through laptops, WiFi hotspots, and WiFi buses for students.

The study finds that for every $1 million in data center capital expenditures, there were 14 jobs supported in the area, and for every $1 million in data center operating expenditures, 18 jobs were supported.

Related Coverage: