Google has started construction on a data center in Uruguay.
“Today, after dedicated planning and analysis, we are taking another step forward with the construction of a second data center in Latin America, this time in Canelones, Uruguay," the company announced this week.
The search and cloud firm said it would be investing more than $850 million in the project. Specifications were not shared.
The tech giant initially acquired 30 hectares in the Parque de las Ciencias free trade zone in Uruguay in May 2021, after first announcing plans in 2020. Google originally outlined plans to build data centers in Canelones through its Eleanor unit in filings with the government under the name ‘Project Teros.’
In November last year, Google confirmed it would be going ahead with amended plans for the development after concerns were raised about potential water use amid severe droughts in the country.
The project was initially expected to use up to 7.6 million liters of potable water every day; the revised project is smaller and switched to an air cooling system.
Google said it currently operates 28 data centers in 11 countries. The company launched its first Latam data center in Chile, outside Santiago in Quilicura, in 2015.
As well as a Chilean region, Google operates a cloud region in São Paulo, Brazil.
Google is also working on its Firmina subsea cable that will connect Myrtle Beach in South Carolina to Las Toninas, Argentina; Praia Grande, Brazil; and Punta del Este, Uruguay. Google already operates the Tannat cable in partnership with Antel Uruguay to connect the same locations.
None of the other cloud providers have announced or launched facilities in Uruguay.
According to DataCenterMap there are just seven colocation facilities in the country, all operated by local players; six in the capital Montevideo, and one in Maldonado.
