Google Council Bluffs expansion · Data center profile

Power

Power and the grid

237 MW energized · 407 MW contracted

MidAmerican Energy grid serviceRunning (partial)

237 MW

Epoch AI tracker estimate of current facility power; no utility service size is public

MidAmerican wind supply agreementContracted (2014)

407 MW

2014 renewable supply ceiling for all Google Iowa facilities, not this campus's load; allows later expansion to be supplied Company · April 2014

Energized nowContracted

Getting on the grid

Who supplies what, what it costs, and what is still not public.

April 22, 2014
Wind supply deal with MidAmerican
Google and MidAmerican announce up to 407 MW of wind for Google's Iowa data centers, covering future expansion; no term or price is public. Company · April 2014
Not set
Expansion-specific service agreement: not public
No interconnection or service filing for this expansion appears in the records. Company · Oct. 2026

The site sits in the MISO grid region; MidAmerican is Google's electricity supplier in Iowa.

Permits

Permits checklist

2 granted · 2 checked, nothing on file

✓
Local property tax abatement and job incentives Granted
Iowa Economic Development Authority board · Oct. 21, 2022: city abatement of 80% falling to 45% over 20 years, about $16.6M; no new state incentives News report · Oct. 2022
✓
City resolution backing the incentive application Granted
Council Bluffs City Council · Oct. 10, 2022: Resolution 22-256; contingent on Google meeting city codes Local government · Oct. 2022
–
Checked, nothing on file: Air construction permit, Building and site plan approvals

Risks

What could slow it down

Medium
Water use
Google self-reported that its Council Bluffs data center used more water than any of its others, and the campus uses evaporative cooling (press). News report · July 2026
Watch
Schedule has passed with no completion notice
The 2022 filing targeted full operations in Q4 2024, and no completion announcement was found. Local government · Oct. 2026
Watch
Capacity is an estimate
Google has never stated a campus MW figure, so the 237 MW and 284 MW figures are third-party estimates.

Money

Money on record

$600M+

minimum investment in the 2022 expansion

city filing Local government · Oct. 2022

$16.6M

estimated local property tax abatement benefit

sliding scale, 80% down to 45% over 20 years Local government · Oct. 2022

$1B

additional Council Bluffs investment announced in July 2024

press; use not specified News report · Oct. 2026

$7B

Iowa-wide investment announced May 2025

mainly for Cedar Rapids and Council Bluffs; the Council Bluffs share is not disclosed (press) News report · Oct. 2026

Timeline

What happened, and what is due

SitePaper trailConstructionPowerPermitsMoneyLegalUpcoming

April 22, 2014
Power Google and MidAmerican announce a wind supply deal of up to 407 MW for Google's Iowa data centers. Company · April 2014
Aug. 8, 2022
Construction An electrical explosion at the operating plant injures three electricians (press). News report · Oct. 2026
Oct. 10, 2022
Money City council backs Google's incentive application for an expansion of at least $600M, with work to start Q4 2022. Local government · Oct. 2022
Oct. 21, 2022
Money The state authority's board authorizes the local property tax exemption. News report · Oct. 2022
July 2, 2024
Money Google announces another $1B for its Council Bluffs data centers (press). News report · Oct. 2026
May 30, 2025
Money Google announces $7B more across Iowa, mainly Cedar Rapids and Council Bluffs (press). News report · Oct. 2026
July 7, 2026
Construction Epoch AI tracker notes three buildings operating and seven cooling towers installed.
Oct. 9, 2026
Site Press counts seven operating data center buildings on the Southland campus, opened in 2013. News report · Oct. 2026

Construction activity

Building activity by quarter

Since July 2025: 3 FAA filings (July 2025 to Aug. 2026): tallest permanent building 38 ft (filed July 2025) and tallest crane 400 ft (Aug. 2026).

FAA filings

’26

Dot size: records in the quarter, largest = 1. Two-digit years mark each first quarter.

The buildings

Specs

3 buildings running at the east site

per Epoch AI tracker, as of July 7, 2026; press counts seven operating buildings across the whole campus

News report · Oct. 2026

31 new jobs

committed in the 2022 incentive filing, at a $28.73 hourly qualifying wage

Local government · Oct. 2022

~1.3B gallons a year

water use reported for the Council Bluffs data center, Google self-reported (press)

News report · July 2026

Evaporative cooling towers: seven towers reported installed at the east site (Epoch notes)

Who is involved

Owners, partners and builders

Owner

Google LLC: owner, operator and incentive applicant
Alphabet Inc.: parent

Power

MidAmerican Energy: electricity supplier

Government and partners

City of Council Bluffs: co-applicant and abatement grantor
Iowa Economic Development Authority: incentive board
Advance Southwest Iowa Corporation: local economic development sponsor

Still unknown

Open questions

Google's own MW figure for the campus.
Which buildings are running and when the expansion finishes.
Air permits and utility service terms for the expansion.

Where this comes from

117 records from 19 documents

Drawn from news reports, state agency records, local government records, company statements and public and commercial datasets, each kept with its date and source. The bar shows documents by type.

News report 12State agency 3Local government 2Company 2Dataset 1

Evidence

Every quote behind this page

Grade key: A = the primary record itself (permit, filing, exhibit) · B = a dated official statement · C = news reporting. Map distances are our own measurements on OpenStreetMap and carry no grade. Allegations in lawsuits are marked as such in the quotes.

Power (7)

Power plan: grid
“an agreement with MidAmerican Energy to supply our Iowa data center facilities with up to 407 MW of 100% renewable wind energy”
Company · Oct. 2026 · grade B
Jurisdiction note: Land use and site approvals sit with the City of Council Bluffs (site inside city limits); air construction permits sit with the Iowa DNR Air Quality Bureau - Pottawattamie County has no delegated loca
“If a developer's project extends into Polk County or Linn County, the developer should consult Polk County Public Works (PCPW) and Linn County Public Health (LCPH)”
State agency · Oct. 2026 · grade B
Utility: MidAmerican Energy Company
“We've been talking to MidAmerican Energy, our energy supplier in Iowa, about renewable energy since we started building our Iowa data center in 2007”
Company · April 2014 · grade B
Utility service: not stated
“the minimum investment by Google LLC is $600 million”
Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade C
On-site generation: not stated
“an agreement with MidAmerican Energy to supply our Iowa data center facilities with up to 407 MW of 100% renewable wind energy”
Company · Oct. 2026 · grade C
Utility: MidAmerican Energy (electric service territory includes Council Bluffs)
“MidAmerican Energy serves central and western Iowa — Des Moines, Council Bluffs, Ames, Sioux City — as well as some eastern Iowa cities”
News report · June 2026 · grade C
MidAmerican Energy's published approach for large customers in its territory: the customer pays for its own interconnection infrastructure (substations, transmission upgrades) and commits to paying for 10 years of power
“When large companies expand or move to MidAmerican's service area, they pay their own way.”
News report · June 2026 · grade C

Money and contracts (39)

Incentives: HQJ local property tax abatement: sliding scale 80% down to 45% over 20 years, estimated benefit $16,600,000; IEDA board authorized the local exemption Oct 21, 2022; no new state incentives
“a local commitment of a property tax abatement on a sliding scale of 80% down to 45% over the course of twenty years at an estimated benefit of $16,600,000”
Local government · Oct. 2022 · grade A
Expansion minimum investment 2022: 600 USD million
“the minimum investment by Google LLC is $600 million”
Local government · Oct. 2022 · grade A
Tenants: Google
“Google LLC is considering expanding their operations located at 10420 Bunge Avenue for the purpose of growing their data center footprint”
Local government · Oct. 2022 · grade A
Tenant status: owner-occupied
“Google LLC is considering expanding their operations located at 10420 Bunge Avenue for the purpose of growing their data center footprint”
Local government · Oct. 2022 · grade A
Stated capital cost: 600000000 USD
“The proposed project would involve a minimum investment of $600 million and the creation of 31 new full-time equivalent employees”
Local government · Oct. 2022 · grade A
state incentive program (High-Quality Jobs): local property tax abatement on a sliding scale of 80% down to 45% over 20 years, plus state investment tax credits 16.6 USD million (estimated abatement benefit)
“this includes a local commitment of a property tax abatement on a sliding scale of 80% down to 45% over the course of twenty years at an estimated benefit of $16,600,000.”
Local government · Oct. 2022 · grade A
Incentive - IEDA High Quality Jobs (HQJ) joint application: scope Expansion of Google LLC data center operations at 10420 Bunge Avenue, Council Bluffs
“Google LLC is considering expanding their operations located at 10420 Bunge Avenue for the purpose of growing their data center footprint in Council Bluffs, Iowa”
Local government · Oct. 2022 · grade A
Incentive - IEDA High Quality Jobs (HQJ) joint application: investment floor 600000000 USD
“the minimum investment by Google LLC is $600 million”
Local government · Oct. 2022 · grade A
Incentive - IEDA High Quality Jobs (HQJ) joint application: jobs commitment 31 new full-time positions; all existing Council Bluffs employees retained
“Google LLC will retain all of their existing employees in Council Bluffs and create an additional 31 new full-time positions”
Local government · Oct. 2022 · grade A
Incentive - IEDA High Quality Jobs (HQJ) joint application: abatement terms Property tax abatement on a sliding scale of 80% down to 45% over 20 years; estimated benefit $16,600,000 USD
“a local commitment of a property tax abatement on a sliding scale of 80% down to 45% over the course of twenty years at an estimated benefit of $16,600,000”
Local government · Oct. 2022 · grade A
Incentive - IEDA High Quality Jobs (HQJ) joint application: condition HQJ benefits contingent on the company meeting all applicable City codes and ordinances (Section 8.0)
“the approval of the High-Quality Jobs Program benefits is contingent upon the company meeting all applicable City codes and ordinances”
Local government · Oct. 2022 · grade A
Incentive - IEDA High Quality Jobs (HQJ) joint application: termination FINDING: no termination, cancellation or clawback clause appears in Resolution 22-256; recovery terms, if any, would sit in the IEDA HQJ agreement,
“That this resolution shall become effective immediately upon passage and approval”
Local government · Oct. 2022 · grade A
Investment to date: 20000000000 USD
“Since the Council Bluffs, Iowa data center was built in 2007, Google has invested more than $20 billion in the state”
Company · Oct. 2026 · grade B
Tax abatement agreement: estimated abatement benefit 16600000 USD
“a local commitment of a property tax abatement on a sliding scale of 80% down to 45% over the course of twenty years at an estimated benefit of $16,600,000.”
Local government · Oct. 2022 · grade B
Tax abatement agreement: PILOT schedule 80% declining to 45% over 20 years percent abated / years
“a local commitment of a property tax abatement on a sliding scale of 80% down to 45% over the course of twenty years at an estimated benefit of $16,600,000.”
Local government · Oct. 2022 · grade B
Tax abatement agreement: investment commitment (minimum) 600000000 USD
“the minimum investment by Google LLC is $600 million”
Local government · Oct. 2022 · grade B
Tax abatement agreement: job commitments 31 new full-time jobs
“create an additional 31 new full-time positions”
Local government · Oct. 2022 · grade B
Renewable energy supply agreement: scope MidAmerican to supply Google's Iowa data center facilities with up to 407 MW of 100% renewable wind energy, REC-bundled, from Wind VIII projects (renewable supply ceiling for Iowa
“an agreement with MidAmerican Energy to supply our Iowa data center facilities with up to 407 MW of 100% renewable wind energy, as tracked by renewable energy certificates”
Company · April 2014 · grade B
Renewable energy supply agreement: expansion coverage Agreement covers current facilities and allows future expansion to be supplied with wind energy
“This agreement will not only cover our current facilities but will allow for future expansion supplied by renewable energy as well”
Company · April 2014 · grade B
Renewable energy supply agreement: term FINDING: no term, termination or pricing terms are disclosed in the public announcement of the agreement
“We've been talking to MidAmerican Energy, our energy supplier in Iowa”
Company · April 2014 · grade B
Google announced $350 million of planned spending on the Council Bluffs campus in 2023, taking cumulative investment past $5 billion since 2007 (DataCenterFrontier)
“last year's planned spending of $350 million on the campus increasing their overall investment to over $5 billion since 2007”
News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
Google announced an additional $1 billion for the Council Bluffs campus (first week of July 2024); the announcement did not specify how the money would be spent
“The additional billion dollars is on top of those previous investments in two Council Bluffs data centers”
News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
Google announced an additional $7 billion across Iowa over two years, primarily to expand the Cedar Rapids and Council Bluffs campuses; the Council Bluffs share is not disclosed, and the Oct 2026 Palo proposal is stated
“primarily to expand the Cedar Rapids and Council Bluffs data center campuses”
News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
Google's proposed Palo campus (545 acres, Linn County, near Duane Arnold) is a separate prospective campus announced Oct 2026 - not part of this folder
“The proposed Palo data center would represent an additional investment beyond that $7 billion figure”
News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
state tax exemption: tiered sales and use tax exemption and partial refunds for qualifying data centers based on capital investment; property tax exemptions on eligible equipment
“the state of Iowa has long offered a tiered sales and use tax exemption, and partial refunds, for qualifying data centers based on the size of their capital investment.”
News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
Google says it has invested more than $20 billion in Iowa since 2007 - a STATEWIDE cumulative figure covering all its Iowa campuses and programs. It is not the Council Bluffs expansion's cost and must not be attributed t
“Overall, Google says it has invested more than $20 billion in Iowa since 2007.”
News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
Source record
“The proposed Palo data center would represent an additional investment beyond that $7 billion figure, Google spokesperson Devon Smiley said.”
News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
Statewide investment 2025: 7 USD billion
“Google will invest an additional $7 billion across Iowa in the next two years, primarily to expand data centers in Cedar Rapids and Council Bluffs”
News report · May 2025 · grade C
Capital cost statewide announcement: 7000000000 USD
“investing an additional $7 billion in Iowa within the next two years in cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure”
News report · May 2025 · grade C
Stated capital cost: 1000000000 USD
“Google is planning to invest another $1 billion in its data center in Council Bluffs, Iowa”
News report · July 2024 · grade C
Investment to date: 5500000000 USD
“has since spent around $5.5 billion on the campus and others in the region/state”
News report · July 2024 · grade C
Square feet: 2900000 sq ft
“the Southlands Council Bluff campus has four buildings with a total of 2.9 million sq ft”
News report · July 2024 · grade C
Expansion investment 2024: 1 USD billion
“Google is planning to invest another $1 billion in its data center in Council Bluffs, Iowa.”
News report · July 2024 · grade C
Jobs qualifying wage: 28.73 USD/hr
“create 31 jobs at a qualifying wage of $28.73 per hour”
News report · Oct. 2022 · grade C
Incentive - IEDA HQJ board award: award scope Board authorized a local property tax exemption through the HQJ program, enabling the city's 20-year sliding-scale abatement
“the board authorized a local property tax exemption through the HQJ program”
News report · Oct. 2022 · grade C
Incentive - IEDA HQJ board award: state incentives No new state incentives planned (the application had also requested investment tax credits)
“No new state incentives are planned, but the project will result in $600 million in new capital investment”
News report · Oct. 2022 · grade C
Incentive - IEDA HQJ board award: jobs wage 31 jobs at a qualifying wage of $28.73 per hour USD/hr
“create 31 jobs at a qualifying wage of $28.73 per hour”
News report · Oct. 2022 · grade C
electric supply agreement (wind): supply of up to 407 MW of wind energy for Google's Iowa data center facilities, tracked by renewable energy certificates; covers current facilities and allows for future expansion 407 MW
“The new agreement will cover the internet company's current requirements in the region as well as allow for future expansion.”
News report · April 2014 · grade C
Acres: 1000 acres
“a $300 million capital investment within a five-year period on a 1,000-acre plot of land that Google owns in Council Bluffs”
News report · April 2012 · grade C

Permits and government (27)

Campus name: Google Council Bluffs expansion
“Google expects to start their expansion project in Q4 2022 with full operations expected to commence in Q4 2024”
Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
County code: Pottawattamie County, IA (19155)
“Location: 10420 Bunge Avenue, Council Bluffs, IA 51503”
Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
FAA OE/AAA: Determined - No Hazard
“The proposal is two new data center buildings. There currently exist six other data center buildings of a similar size to the newly proposed buildings.”
FAA · July 2025 · grade A
County code: 19155
“the City shall provide a copy of this resolution to the Iowa Economic Development Authority and shall file this resolution with the Pottawattamie County Recorder.”
Local government · Oct. 2022 · grade A
Operator: Google LLC
“Google LLC is considering expanding their operations located at 10420 Bunge Avenue for the purpose of growing their data center footprint in Council Bluffs, Iowa”
Local government · Oct. 2022 · grade A
Expansion site address: 10420 Bunge Avenue, Council Bluffs, IA
“Google LLC is considering expanding their operations located at 10420 Bunge Avenue”
Local government · Oct. 2022 · grade A
Expansion jobs 2022: 31
“Google LLC will retain all of their existing employees in Council Bluffs and create an additional 31 new fulltime positions”
Local government · Oct. 2022 · grade A
Aliases: Google Southlands expansion; Google Southland campus expansion
“add an additional 31 new fulltime positions at their Southlands facility in Council Bluffs as a result of this expansion project”
Local government · Oct. 2022 · grade A
Developer entity: Google LLC
“AUTHORIZING A JOINT APPLICATION TO THE IOWA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY BY THE CITY OF COUNCIL BLUFFS AND GOOGLE LLC”
Local government · Oct. 2022 · grade A
Operator: Google LLC
“Google LLC will retain all of their existing employees in Council Bluffs”
Local government · Oct. 2022 · grade A
Address: 10420 Bunge Avenue, Council Bluffs, IA 51503
“Location: 10420 Bunge Avenue, Council Bluffs, IA 51503”
Local government · Oct. 2022 · grade A
resolution authorizing joint IEDA High-Quality Jobs application: adopted
“A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA AUTHORIZING A JOINT APPLICATION TO THE IOWA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY BY THE CITY OF COUNCIL BLUFFS AND GOOGLE LLC”
Local government · Oct. 2022 · grade A
Council Bluffs City Council: Resolution 22-256 - joint application with Google LLC to IEDA for High-Quality Jobs benefits for the 10420 Bunge Avenue expansion
“A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA AUTHORIZING A JOINT APPLICATION TO THE IOWA ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY”
Local government · Oct. 2022 · grade A
FAA obstruction evaluation (7460-1): Determined - No Hazard
“ASN 2026-ACE-3342-OE: SLN - Mobile Crane, Mobile Crane, 400 ft AGL, 1376 ft AMSL, 41.16892,-95.80681, Determined - No Hazard, submitted 2026-08-26”
FAA · Aug. 2026 · grade B
FAA obstruction evaluation (7460-1): Determined - No Hazard
“ASN 2026-ACE-289-OE: SLN7A, SLN8A Crane, Crane, 300 ft AGL, 1285 ft AMSL, 41.17083,-95.79933, Determined - No Hazard, submitted 2026-01-23”
FAA · Jan. 2026 · grade B
IRB/abatement ordinance: ADOPTED AND APPROVED: October 10, 2022
“ADOPTED AND APPROVED: October 10, 2022”
Local government · Oct. 2022 · grade B
Construction stage: operating campus with expansion construction continuing
“Construction remains ongoing at the Council Bluffs site”
News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
Stage: building
“Construction remains ongoing at the Council Bluffs site”
News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
Current target date: not stated
“the Google Southland campus southeast of Council Bluffs, opened in 2013, with seven current operating data center buildings”
News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
Electrical explosion at the operating plant (10410 Bunge Ave) injured three electricians shortly before the expansion construction start; brief service disruptions followed
“Google's datacenter in nearby Council Bluffs, Iowa experienced an electrical incident just before noon Monday local time”
News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
Google funds Iowa water-quality and replenishment projects (Great Outdoors Foundation; Iowa Department of Agriculture) and reports the Council Bluffs complex used about 1 billion gallons last year per its 2025 sustainabi
“Google's massive Council Bluffs complex used about 1 billion gallons of water last year”
News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
Iowa offers a tiered sales and use tax exemption and partial refunds for qualifying data centers based on capital investment, plus property tax exemptions on eligible equipment - the statutory backdrop to this campus's i
“the state of Iowa has long offered a tiered sales and use tax exemption, and partial refunds, for qualifying data centers”
News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
Identity scope: EXPANSION at Google's Council Bluffs campus - specifically the Southland campus (opened 2013) southeast of Council Bluffs, distinct from the original 2007 Council Bluffs Data Center campus
“Google has two operating data center campuses in Iowa – the Google Southland campus southeast of Council Bluffs, opened in 2013, with seven current operating data center buildings”
News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
Buildings operating: 7 buildings
“the Google Southland campus southeast of Council Bluffs, opened in 2013, with seven current operating data center buildings”
News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
Water use stated: 1300000000 gallons/yr
“its data center in Council Bluffs, Iowa, which the company self-reported consuming more water than any of its other data center locations in 2025 at 1.3 billion gallons”
News report · July 2026 · grade C
Project status: building on track - expansion under construction at the operating Council Bluffs campus; construction remains ongoing (2026 reporting)
“Construction remains ongoing at the Council Bluffs site.”
News report · July 2024 · grade C
Iowa Economic Development Authority Board: Google LLC Council Bluffs HQJ award - local property tax exemption authorized
“the Iowa Economic Development Authority Board approved two awards for companies in Charles City and Council Bluffs”
News report · Oct. 2022 · grade C

Site and other (4)

Developer: Google
“Google LLC is considering expanding their operations located at 10420 Bunge Avenue”
Local government · Oct. 2022 · grade A
Jobs new fte: 31 FTE
“create an additional 31 new full-time positions”
Local government · Oct. 2022 · grade A
First announced: Oct. 10, 2022
“ADOPTED AND APPROVED: October 10, 2022”
Local government · Oct. 2022 · grade A
Original target date: not stated
“Google expects to start their expansion project in Q4 2022 with full operations expected to commence in Q4 2024”
Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade C