Data Center Census

Tucson, Pima County, AZ

Project Blue

Under constructionConstruction began April 2026 on unincorporated county land after Tucson ended annexation talks; end user undisclosed
  1. Rumored
  2. Proposed
  3. Approved
  4. Under construction
  5. Operating

A $3.6 billion data center campus by Beale Infrastructure on a 290-acre former Pima County parcel west of Houghton Road near the Pima County Fairgrounds outside Tucson, with four initial buildings and up to ten possible. After the Tucson City Council ended annexation talks in August 2025, Beale redesigned to closed-loop air cooling, secured a 286 MW TEP power agreement approved by the Arizona Corporation Commission, and began construction in April 2026. A judge dismissed an open-meeting-law challenge in April 2026; the end user is confidential.

Key facts

Size & schedule

Planned capacity286 MW [4]
Utility supply under TEP agreement by 2028
Site size290 acres [1]
Sold by Pima County for $20,875,000
Buildings4 [1]
Initial phase; up to 10 buildings possible
Stated investment$3.6 billion [1]
Permanent jobs (promised)180 [1]
By 2029
Construction jobs3,000 [1]
3,000+ over 2026-2028
Target completionFirst building operational as soon as 2027 [1]

Power

UtilityTucson Electric Power (TEP) [1]

Water

Water use20,000 gal/day [5]
Estimated 15,000-20,000 gallons daily; groundwater rights total 96.5 acre-feet/year
Water sourceGroundwater wells approved by ADWR [5]
Coolingclosed-loop air-cooled [5]
Water permitADWR approved two commercial groundwater wells for Bobcat Tucson Water LLC, each with 600 gpm pumping capacity, using three existing groundwater rights totaling 96.50 acre-feet per year [5]
Source excerpt
“each well will have the pumping capacity of 600 gallons per minute”

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

Lawsuits

Arizona Attorney General appeal of Arizona Corporation Commission approval of TEP–Beale energy supply agreementpending [7]
Attorney General Kris Mayes asks the court to vacate the Commission's approval of the TEP–Beale Infrastructure agreement for Project Blue and remand with instructions to remove a provision letting the parties set rates privately.
Maricopa County Superior Court · filed Feb 19, 2026
Source excerpt
“Attorney General Mayes today filed an appeal in Maricopa County Superior Court challenging the Arizona Corporation Commission's approval of a special energy agreement between Tucson Electric Power (TEP) and and Beale Infrastructure for the Project Blue data center.”

Timeline

  1. Pima County Board of Supervisors approves sale of 290 acres to Beale [3]

  2. Tucson City Council votes to end annexation negotiations, cutting off Tucson Water [3]

  3. Beale and TEP file special power agreement with Arizona Corporation Commission [3]

  4. Arizona Corporation Commission approves TEP agreement 4-1 [4]

  5. Beale-affiliated Bobcat Tucson Water LLC applies to ADWR for two commercial groundwater wells [5]

  6. No Desert Data Center Coalition sues Pima County in Superior Court alleging Open Meeting Law violations in the rezoning [8]

  7. Arizona Attorney General files appeal in Maricopa County Superior Court challenging the ACC's approval of the TEP–Beale agreement [7]

  8. Superior Court Judge Brenden Griffin dismisses No Desert Data Center Coalition's open-meeting lawsuit; plaintiffs planned appeal [2]

  9. Construction underway as dozens protest at the site [6]

  10. Arizona water officials' approval of the two wells is reported [5]

Issues raised

  • Opponents argue TEP's fossil-heavy generation undermines the developer's water and renewable claims [6]
  • Coalition alleged the county's rezoning agenda failed to disclose the data center purpose; judge disagreed [2]
  • Amazon reportedly dropped out as customer per Arizona Daily Star sources; Beale says a customer will be ready by 2027 [4]

Sources

  1. Project Blue FAQ | Pima County, AZ
    Pima County · Apr 23, 2026 · government
  2. Pima County judge tosses lawsuit over Project Blue data center rezoning
    AZPM · Apr 13, 2026 · news
  3. Project Blue is back: Beale moving ahead with data center on county land
    AZ Luminaria · Aug 27, 2025 · news
  4. Arizona Corporation Commission gives green light to Project Blue power agreement
    AZ Luminaria · Dec 3, 2025 · news
  5. Arizona water officials approve wells tied to Project Blue data center
    AZPM · May 28, 2026 · news
  6. "We said no!!": Dozens protest as construction of Project Blue data center begins
    AZ Luminaria · Apr 24, 2026 · news
  7. Attorney General Mayes Appeals Arizona Corporation Commission's Approval of Tucson Electric Power Data Center Deal for Project Blue
    Arizona Attorney General's Office · Feb 19, 2026 · government
  8. Activists file to sue Pima County over Project Blue approval process
    AZPM · Jan 14, 2026 · news