Google to invest another $1.7 billion into Ohio data centers

NEW ALBANY, Ohio (AP) — Google will invest an additional $1.7 billion to support three data center campuses in central Ohio, the company announced Monday.

The tech giant now operates a center in New Albany and announced in May that it would build additional centers in Columbus and Lancaster to help power its artificial intelligence technology and other tools,

Mark Isakowitz, Google’s vice president of government affairs and public policy, said the additional money will be used to complete the Columbus and Lancaster centers and expand the New Albany facility, but did not disclose more specific details.

Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, who participated in Google’s announcement, said no tax credits or other public incentives were offered to Google for the data-center expansion.

Data centers have proliferated across the U.S. and become a welcome revenue source for local governments. They also require a large amount of electricity and high-voltage transmission lines.