Google continues expanding its footprint in North San Jose with a proposed 250-megawatt chip research and development facility at its Meadow Point campus on Disk Drive. The project would house computing labs dedicated to testing next-generation chip technology, supporting the company’s broader work in artificial intelligence and custom silicon.
The scale of the electricity demand stands out. Filings show the facility could draw more power than the average load of Marin County and roughly half that of San Mateo County. Connecting it to the grid requires a high-voltage switching station, underground transmission lines, and ties into the Newark-NRS transmission project, along with additional regional upgrades. Google has indicated it will fund the infrastructure needed for its connection.
The California Public Utilities Commission had been scheduled to vote on the interconnection proposal in mid-August but postponed the decision. PG&E had requested approval earlier to keep the project on track for construction starting in early 2027 and operations by the end of 2028. Google maintains the site will serve internal research labs rather than function as a traditional data center supporting external cloud services.
This effort reflects the growing pressure on Silicon Valley’s power infrastructure as companies race to design and test the chips that drive advanced AI systems. The Meadow Point location already anchors a significant Google presence in the Alviso area, and the new labs would further solidify North San Jose as a center for specialized technical work.
Local observers will watch the regulatory process closely as California works through rules for large electricity users while balancing growth and ratepayer protections.
Source: Silicon Valley Business Journal
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