A $4 Billion Data Center Could Reshape Rural Southwestern Minnesota
Southwestern Minnesota may soon host one of the most ambitious tech and energy projects in the Upper Midwest. Geronimo Power, a Bloomington-based renewable energy developer, has proposed a four billion dollar data center campus near Brewster and Reading. The project pairs a large AI-focused data center with new wind, solar and battery installations across roughly 100,000 acres of rural farmland.
Why a Rural Minnesota Location Is Even Being Considered
Tech companies are searching for cleaner power, stable land costs and room to grow. Nobles County offers all three. Geronimo Power already develops renewable energy projects in the region, and the company sees an opportunity to bundle clean power directly with a next-generation data center. The site could eventually consume as much electricity as one million homes. That level of energy demand is driving the need for major wind and solar expansion in the area.
While many data centers sit near metro areas such as Minneapolis and St. Paul, proximity matters less for artificial intelligence workloads. What matters most is reliable power and available land, both of which southwestern Minnesota can provide.
Local Reactions Are Split
The plan would bring around 1,000 construction jobs and roughly 180 full-time positions once the campus is complete. Nobles County could see tens of millions in annual tax revenue, and Nobles Cooperative Electric says the revenue could help stabilize rates and support infrastructure upgrades.
But not all residents are on board. Solar arrays proposed around Reading would border several homes, raising concerns about rural views, farmland preservation and wildlife. Some worry that expanding renewable energy so quickly may increase electric rates or strain the grid. Others question whether a small cooperative utility can support a customer 27 times larger than its entire current system.
Geronimo Power is redesigning its solar layout in response to feedback, but trust remains a challenge.
The Biggest Hurdle Is Still Ahead
For now, the proposal remains just that — a proposal. Geronimo has not yet secured a tech partner. A major player such as Google, Amazon or Apple would need to commit to purchasing the data center and the associated clean energy. Without that buyer, the project cannot move forward.
Still, if the plan succeeds, Nobles County could become a national leader in rural tech development and renewable energy production.
As Minnesota continues to expand its wind and solar capacity, this project highlights both the opportunities and tensions that come with rapid change in the energy sector.
If you want to stay up to date on projects shaping Minnesota communities — or need help navigating the Twin Cities real estate market — I’m here to help.
