Amid a surge in demand for artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing, Arkansas will see hyperscale data centers begin operating in 2027.
About $12 billion will be invested into four hyperscale data centers planned for central and eastern Arkansas, with the largest expected to exceed $21 billion at full buildout.
Arkansas Secretary of Commerce Hugh McDonald said the state legislature approved a data center incentive in the 2023 session that was refined last year. The incentive, along with energy regulatory reform legislation, has helped attract data centers to Arkansas. This includes a sales and use tax exemption for data centers and a reduction in permitting time for new energy projects from 12 to 18 months to six months…