Oracle plans to power its New Mexico mega datacenter with a 2.45GW fuel cell farm
Oracle is advancing plans to power its massive New Mexico datacenter, codenamed Project Jupiter, with a 2.45-gigawatt fuel cell farm developed in partnership with Bloom Energy. The move aims to ensure reliable power amid growing demand from AI workloads and scrutiny over energy use, though the fuel cells primarily run on natural gas. While Oracle touts reduced emissions and water use compared to traditional generators, the sustainability benefits depend on fuel source. The facility will be built in phases, with no official timeline yet for the first fuel-cell-powered data hall going live.
- ▪Oracle plans to deploy a 2.45GW fuel cell farm from Bloom Energy to power its New Mexico datacenter complex, scaling up from an initial 1.2GW commitment.
- ▪The fuel cells primarily run on natural gas and can be converted to hydrogen, but sustainable hydrogen supply remains a challenge.
- ▪Oracle is avoiding water-intensive cooling methods and combustion-based generators to reduce environmental impact and avoid public backlash.
- ▪Political pressure, including from former President Trump, to limit datacenter strain on local power grids has influenced Oracle's energy strategy.
- ▪Small modular reactors are part of Oracle’s long-term plans but are not expected before the end of the decade.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
On-Prem Oracle plans to power its New Mexico mega datacenter with a 2.45GW fuel cell farm No sense in OpenAI stressing over its cloud bills if Oracle can't get the lights on Tobias Mann Tue 28 Apr 2026 // 21:58 UTC Close on the heels of a report that OpenAI has missed revenue targets and may not be able to pay its future bills, compute partner Oracle is keeping calm and carrying on with a massive new datacenter complex in the New Mexico desert. It seems like founder and chairman Larry Ellison is less concerned about whether Sam Altman can afford rent at the complex, than figuring out how to power it.
…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Register.
Discussion
0 commentsMore from The Register
