Oracle awards nearly $1 billion in contracts to New Mexico businesses for data center project

SANTA TERESA, N.M. (KVIA) -- Oracle, a developer in the Project Jupiter data center planned for Southern New Mexico, announced it awarded more than $994 million in contracts in New Mexico.

Oracle said the contracts went to 30 New Mexico firms as of Sept. 30 and created more than 1,200 jobs for New Mexico residents. The company said more than $160 million of the contracts have already been paid.

“Project Jupiter is putting meaningful dollars to work with New Mexico businesses and creating good-paying opportunities for local residents,” said Mahesh Thiagarajan, president, Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. “This is what responsible development looks like: strengthening local businesses, expanding opportunity for workers, and building a foundation for long-term economic growth in Doña Ana County and across New Mexico.”

Firms in HVAC, insulation, plumbing and other fields were included in the contracts, according to Oracle.

Oracle said Project Jupiter has employed 1,230 people from New Mexico. It said 630 workers are from Doña Ana County.

The company has repeatedly said Project Jupiter won't use drinking water to operate. It plans to use non-potable water for startup and maintenance.

"Averaged over 15 years, the estimated water consumption of these two systems will use less water than nine U.S. households use over the same period," Oracle said.

Additionally, Oracle said the data center's energy plan will keep costs off residents' utility bills.