Data Center Census

Palo, Linn County, IA

Google Palo data center campus

Also known as Google Duane Arnold data center

ProposedGoogle shifted from unincorporated Linn County toward annexation into Palo; Linn County declined in August 2026 to allow data centers in its EU-2 nuclear zoning district
  1. Rumored
  2. Proposed
  3. Approved
  4. Under construction
  5. Operating

Google informed Linn County in October 2025 of plans for a six-building data center campus on 545 acres of unincorporated land adjacent to the Duane Arnold Energy Center near Palo. In March 2026 county officials announced Google would pursue annexation into Palo rather than follow the county's new data center ordinance. The county chair says a Google representative described water use of roughly 12 million gallons per day.

Key facts

Size & schedule

Site size545 acres [2]
Source excerpt
“In October, Google informed the Linn County Board of Supervisors of plans to construct a six-building data center campus on 545 acres of unincorporated land adjacent to the Duane Arnold Energy Center.”
Buildings6 [2]
Source excerpt
“In October, Google informed the Linn County Board of Supervisors of plans to construct a six-building data center campus on 545 acres of unincorporated land adjacent to the Duane Arnold Energy Center.”

Water

Water use12,000,000 gal/day [1]
roughly, as described to the county chair by a Google representative
Source excerpt
“Running-Marquardt said when Google first approached the county about its plans for development in unincorporated Linn County, a representative told her that the data center buildings would use roughly 12 million gallons of water per day.”
Water sourceCedar River [3]
Source excerpt
“12 million gallons of water per day taken from the Cedar River”

Figures are as stated by the cited source. Where sources disagree, each figure is shown.

Timeline

  1. Google informs the Linn County Board of Supervisors of plans for a six-building campus on 545 acres [2]

  2. Linn County announces Google will pursue development in Palo through annexation instead of under the county's data center ordinance [1]

  3. Palo passes a data center ordinance; Linn County, which recently began an 18-month data center moratorium, considers allowing data centers as accessories to nuclear plants [4]

  4. Linn County drops proposal to allow large data centers co-located with nuclear plants in the EU-2 zoning district [5]

Issues raised

  • County supervisors say Google is bypassing the county ordinance's water, noise and light protections [1]
  • The shift ended Google's $500,000 commitment to fund a regional water balance study [2]

Sources

  1. Google eyes data center in Palo to bypass Linn County regulations
    Iowa Public Radio · Mar 4, 2026 · news
  2. Google's Response to an Iowa County's New Data Center Requirements? Annex the Land.
    Inside Climate News · Mar 4, 2026 · news
  3. Google seeks land annexation for data center campus in Linn County, Iowa
    DatacenterDynamics · Mar 5, 2026 · news
  4. Linn County considers exception for Google as nearby Palo passes data center regulations
    Iowa Public Radio · Jul 21, 2026 · news
  5. Linn County will not rezone district near nuclear plant for data centers
    KCRG · Aug 10, 2026 · news