Google signs AES, Xcel supply deals to meet data-center energy needs

Feb 24 (Reuters) - Alphabet's Google doubled down connected efforts to unafraid powerfulness proviso for its information centers crossed the state by entering into ‌separate agreements with U.S. utilities, AES Corp and Xcel Energy, connected Tuesday.

Big ‌Tech firms person been scouring for new, reliable and cleaner vigor sources to powerfulness their rapidly expanding ​data centers, which person been driven by expanding usage of artificial-intelligence applications.

To conscionable the surging demand, utilities person been investing heavy to upgrade the country's grid, though this has raised concerns astir expanding lawsuit bills.

Xcel entered into an statement to powerfulness Google's ‌new information halfway successful Pine ⁠Island, Minnesota, portion bringing 1,900 megawatts of caller cleanable vigor to the grid.

The inferior said the task would not rise costs ⁠for existing customers, arsenic Google volition wage each costs for its caller service.

The task would adhd 1,400 MW of caller upwind vigor capacity, 200 MW of star powerfulness and ​300 MW ​of long-duration vigor storage. Google volition besides ​invest $50 cardinal successful Xcel's efforts ‌to physique a artillery retention web crossed Minnesota.

Meanwhile, Arlington, Virginia-based AES said it had signed a 20-year statement with Google to powerfulness a caller information halfway successful Wilbarger County, Texas.

AES signed deals for vigor procreation that volition beryllium co-located with the caller information halfway and alteration Google to grow its operations to conscionable request for ‌its halfway services.

The inferior volition physique the indispensable ​shared energy infrastructure for the co-located facility.

Google had ​previously signed a woody with ​NextEra Energy to physique caller vigor supplies for its operations crossed ‌the U.S.

NextEra and Google presently person ​3.5 GW of energy ​generation - capable to powerfulness astir 2.5 cardinal homes - successful cognition oregon contracted.

Other large U.S. utilities including Southern Co and AEP besides number Google arsenic ​their customer.

Meta, Microsoft and Amazon's ‌Amazon Web Services person besides signed respective powerfulness proviso deals with U.S. ​utilities.

(Reporting by Katha Kalia successful Bengaluru, further reporting by Vallari Srivastava; ​Editing by Vijay Kishore and Leroy Leo)