Google Plans $7 Billion Data Center in West Virginia Amid Local Conditions
Key Facts
The West Virginia Treasury estimated the investment in Google’s proposed data center project in Putnam County at about $7 billion, linking digital infrastructure expansion to local energy and service costs. The state announced on March 27, 2026, that Google had bought land in the county and received approval for a high-impact, multibillion-dollar data center project. The governor’s office said at the time that the project remained in its early stages. Google selected the site in cooperation with the local electric utility, while the site was owned by American Electric Power, according to a correction to the initial report. The Treasury’s estimate places the project among the region’s largest proposed investments, though it has not yet moved beyond the planning stage.
The state says Google will cover 100% of the electricity used to operate the facility and has also pledged to pay for all electricity, water and sewer upgrades required for the project. The commitment means the company will bear the cost of meeting the facility’s needs and improving related infrastructure, according to the governor’s office statement in March. How those costs are allocated is a local concern as attention grows around data centers’ impact on public utilities and ratepayers. In a resolution approved by the Putnam County Commission on September 29, the commission called for developers to fund 100% of water, sewer and power upgrades, with those expenses not passed on to consumers. The resolution also called for water feasibility studies and measures to limit noise and light pollution.
The Treasury report estimated the Putnam County Commission’s annual revenue from the two projects covered by the report at about $8.3 million, while forecasting $17.4 million a year for area schools. The figures place expected financial returns alongside the commission’s calls to assess effects on resources, the community and ratepayers. The Treasury estimate covers two projects, so the figures do not provide a separate breakdown of returns from Google’s project alone. In a community initiative, Google announced on August 6 the first round of its local investments in Buffalo, including donations and investments for schools, a senior center and the fire department. The company said it planned further community meetings as construction plans develop.
Design details were still being developed in July 2026, according to a local report on the Buffalo site. The commission’s president said at the time that a public meeting to explain the plans was being planned, though no date had been set. On September 29, the commission president said Google was going through the Planning Commission’s office procedures and complying with county rules and regulations. The commission approved a resolution that same day calling for a broader assessment of data centers, including protection of resources, the community and ratepayers alongside financial returns. This process underscores that the state’s approval announced in March does not mean local planning procedures are complete. The information announced by the sources does not include a construction start date or an operating timeline.
On electricity supply, EL7 reported on October 14 on American Electric Power’s plan to invest $4 billion to supply Google with power through fuel cells. This comes amid the company’s pledge to cover the cost of electricity and necessary upgrades for the Putnam center, while details of the project’s specific supply arrangements remain within what the sources have announced. EL7 data show that Google shares, listed under the ticker GOOGL, closed at $279.09 on October 30, while American Electric Power shares, ticker AEP, closed at $129.34 on October 29. The closing dates differ, and the data do not compare the two stocks’ movements on the same day. The project’s next step remains tied to local planning procedures and the development of the site design.