Power
Power and the grid
Energized, size not disclosed · 61 MW contracted
Rutherford County solar (Green Source Rider)Contracted (2015)
2015 Duke program to meet part of the Lenoir campus demand; build status not in these sources News report · Nov. 2015
Contracted
Other sources, size not disclosed
- Duke Energy Carolinas grid Serving the campusserving utility; campus energy use is confidential under the 2024 agreement News report · Oct. 2026
Getting on the grid
- Google's energy, water and sewer use is confidential under its 2024 agreement with the city and county. News report · 2026
- No utility commission docket exists for the campus; Duke serves it under its tariffs, and no expansion MW has been published. News report · Oct. 2026
- Blue Ridge Energy is a partner in Google's community energy fund, not the campus's utility. News report · Oct. 2026
Permits
Permits checklist
1 granted · 1 checked, nothing on file
Local incentive approvals on record; no construction permits for the expansion have been found.
- ✓Project Cardinal tax grants GrantedCity of Lenoir and Caldwell County · 2024: 50% real and 85% personal property, 20 years News report · 2024
- –Checked, nothing on file: Air permit, site plan or building permit for the expansion
Risks
What could slow it down
- WatchScope undisclosedGoogle has not shared the scope or timeline of the expansion, and no construction start is on record. News report · March 2026
- WatchLittle public dataEmployee counts are a trade secret and energy and water use are confidential, which limits outside checks. News report · 2026
- WatchIncentive deadlineThe tax grants depend on Google making the investment within five years of the 2024 approval. News report · 2024
Money
Money on record
$2M
community Energy Impact Fund
with Blue Ridge Community Action, Blue Ridge Energy and Advanced Energy Local government · March 2026
Timeline
What happened, and what is due
SitePaper trailConstructionPowerPermitsMoneyLegalUpcoming
- 2007Site Google's Lenoir data center opens News report · March 2026
- Nov. 25, 2015Power Duke announces a 61 MW Rutherford County solar project to meet part of the Lenoir campus's demand News report · Nov. 2015
- 2024Money City and county approve 20-year tax grants for a $600M 'Project Cardinal' expansion News report · 2024
- 2024Site Google says it is exploring an expansion on about 60 acres, with no confirmed timeline News report · 2024
- March 13, 2026Money Google pledges $1B over two years to grow the Lenoir campus and launches a $2M energy fund News report · March 2026
- 2029Money About the end of the five-year window to make the investment for the tax grants News report · 2024
The buildings
Specs
38.26 + 21.63 acres
expansion parcels at 914 Virginia Street and 919 Fairview Drive
Who is involved
Owners, partners and builders
Owners
- Google: owner and user
- Tapaha Dynamics, LLC: Google affiliate that filed for the incentives
Decision-makers
- Lenoir City Council and Caldwell County Board of Commissioners: tax grants
Power partners
- Duke Energy Carolinas: serving utility
Community partners
- Blue Ridge Community Action, Blue Ridge Energy and Advanced Energy: Energy Impact Fund
Still unknown
Open questions
- Expansion MW and building plan.
- Construction start date.
- Whether the $1B pledge includes the 2024 $600M.
Where this comes from
36 records from 8 documents
Drawn from news reports, local government records and public and commercial datasets, each kept with its date and source. The bar shows documents by type.
News report 6Local government 1Dataset 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 (3)
- Campus electric service is Duke Energy's (the standing record includes Duke Energy's NC president co-announcing Lenoir expansions with Google in 2013-era NC Commerce releases; no source in the 2026 coverage names a diffe“Google has further pledged $2bn to an Energy Impact Fund with Blue Ridge Community Action, Blue Ridge Energy, and Advanced Energy”News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
- Under the 2024 city/county agreement, Google's precise employee count is a trade secret and its energy, water and sewer use is confidential, limiting public MW / utility-use verification“the precise number of employees is a "trade secret," according to an agreement signed in 2024 with the county and city.”News report · 2026 · grade C
- Utility: Duke Energy Carolinas“A 61-megawatt solar project will be constructed in Rutherford County in Duke Energy Carolinas' service territory.”News report · Nov. 2015 · grade C
Money and contracts (11)
- Tenant: Google (own services campus: Maps, Photos, Search, Workspace, YouTube)“The Lenoir Google data center supports Google services including Maps, Photos, Search, Workspace, YouTube and more.”Local government · March 2026 · grade A
- Energy Impact Fund collaboration: community energy fund grant 2 USD millions“Google also announced a $2 million Energy Impact Fund in collaboration with Blue Ridge Community Action, Blue Ridge Energy, and Advanced Energy.”Local government · March 2026 · grade A
- Announced investment 2026: 1 USD billions“Google said it would invest $1 billion over the next two years at its data center in Lenoir, which opened in 2007”News report · March 2026 · grade C
- Project status: announced“Google said it would invest $1 billion over the next two years at its data center in Lenoir”News report · March 2026 · grade C
- Mar 13, 2026 $1B two-year pledge with scope and timelines not shared; no construction start, site work or building permit for the expansion reported as of Oct 2026“Exact plans for the expansion - including scope of the work, or timelines - have not been shared at this time.”News report · March 2026 · grade C
- Mar 13, 2026: Google pledged $1B over two years to expand its Lenoir data center infrastructure; scope and timelines not shared - signal only, not additive to the 2024 $600M without a source saying so“Exact plans for the expansion - including scope of the work, or timelines - have not been shared at this time.”News report · March 2026 · grade C
- 2024 'Project Cardinal' filing: $600M investment with city + county incentive grants (50% real / 85% personal property, 20 years), five-year investment window, 30 new full-time jobs, plus a voluntary $6.8M Google contrib“The project comprises two parcels: A 38.26-acre parcel located at 914 Virginia Street and a 21.63-acre parcel located at 919 Fairview Drive.”News report · Jan. 2024 · grade C
- The City of Lenoir will provide additional water capacity as needed for the expansion, with Google voluntarily contributing $6.8M to ensure adequate water flow at the campus.“The City of Lenoir will also provide additional water capacity as needed for the expansion, with Google voluntarily contributing $6.8m to ensure adequate water flow at the campus.”News report · Jan. 2024 · grade C
- Announced investment 2024: 600 USD millions“For a $600 million investment as part of Project Cardinal, the city and the county last week approved grants”News report · 2024 · grade C
- Local performance-based tax incentive (Project Cardinal): real property tax grant / rebate 50 percent“the city and the county last week approved grants of 50 percent real property and 85 percent personal property over a 20-year period.”News report · 2024 · grade C
- Local performance-based tax incentive (Project Cardinal): personal property tax grant / rebate 85 percent“the company was given five years to make the investment in order to receive tax breaks, including a 50 percent real property and 85 percent personal property break”News report · 2024 · grade C
Permits and government (1)
- Project status: announced only; exploring potential expansion, no confirmed timeline, no construction start or building permit for the expansion reported“While we do not have a confirmed timeline for development for the site, we want to ensure we have the option to further grow”News report · 2024 · grade C
Site and other (5)
- County code: 37027“FCC Census Block API for site point 35.893012,-81.546069: Block FIPS 370270303001015; County FIPS 37027, Caldwell County, North Carolina”Dataset · Oct. 2026 · grade A
- Existing jobs: 400 jobs“About 400 people work at the center.”News report · March 2026 · grade C
- Project identity: Google Lenoir data center expansion, about 60 acres adjacent to existing campus at 708 Lynhaven Drive, Lenoir, Caldwell County, NC; 2024 incentive filing name Project Cardinal (Lenoir's own record, dist“Google's proposed expansion is on about 60 acres in Lenoir, adjacent to its data center campus at 708 Lynhaven Drive.”News report · 2024 · grade C
- Developer: Google, filing through Tapaha Dynamics, LLC affiliate“Google was filing for the tax break through its Tapaha Dynamics, LLC affiliate.”News report · 2024 · grade C
- Site acres expansion: 60 acres“Google's proposed expansion is on about 60 acres in Lenoir, adjacent to its data center campus at 708 Lynhaven Drive.”News report · 2024 · grade C