Google Canelones Data Center / Proyecto Teros

FJI source-qualified: four-document gate met, including project-specific government evidence. Qualification evidence and decisions →

Published and evidence reviewed October 16, 2026 · Construction documented April 2026; separate operating authorization and commissioning unverified

Google / Alphabet research · FJI evidence · Compare · Milestones · Uruguay directory

Project identity and AI relevance

Google’s Canelones development is the same campus described in the environmental records as Instalación de Centro de Datos – Los Teros, with Eleanor Applications S.R.L. as applicant. It is at Parque de las Ciencias, Ruta 101 km 23.500. Google’s August 2024 announcement explicitly connects the project with growing AI demand. That rationale does not disclose an AI-only load or assign all campus activity to Google Cloud.

Construction is documented; operation is a separate gate

Google announced the start of construction in August 2024. The Presidency’s April 14, 2026 site visit provides later government-observed evidence of substantial works. Ministerial Resolution 644/2024 grants prior environmental authorization, but clause 5 separately requires environmental operating authorization before operation. We have not found that operating authorization or a dated commissioning/customer-service record.

The permitted design and its controls

The revised environmental assessment describes one building installed progressively in four modules. Air-cooled chillers reject heat while water circulates in closed circuits. The approval and assessment preserve environmental controls, including generator documentation and operating-stage monitoring. A completed building shell or an earlier construction announcement does not establish that these later requirements have been met.

Annual electricity is not computing capacity

The technical assessment models final use below 560 GWh/year and describes an initial UTE agreement allowing up to 420 GWh/year. These are annual-energy quantities with different phases and scope. Neither is a disclosed IT-load rating or metered consumption. The reviewed file does not establish installed GPUs, commissioned IT MW or current service utilization.

Air cooling still has a water boundary

The revised assessment estimates 48.1 m³/day of water use, mainly for personnel. Closed-circuit and air-cooled equipment therefore should not be described as a water-free campus. Older coverage of a water-intensive proposal belongs to the superseded design; it is not a current demand estimate. No current metered water use is established.

Capital, exposure and the later challenge

Google announced investment exceeding USD 850 million. That is a project investment plan, not verified construction spending, debt funding or site earnings. El Observador later reported neighbors’ July 29, 2026 administrative challenge to the environmental authorization. Their allegations and requested relief are attributed reporting, not a regulator’s finding or stop order; the present disposition remains unverified.

Investor read-through · Our analysis

This project offers stronger evidence of physical progress than an announced-only concept, but economic delivery still depends on useful operating modules. Track the AAO, utility acceptance and commissioning together. They can establish a more decision-relevant milestone than land area, yearly energy plans or the headline investment. Campus revenue mix, utilization and return on capital remain open questions.

Delivery commitments and documented checkpoints

• 2024-06-06: RM 644/2024 grants prior environmental authorization and requires separate operating authorization Prior environmental approval, not AAO
• 2024-08-29: Google announces construction start; independent specialist report follows Company construction announcement
• 2026-04-14: Presidency visits the site and documents construction progress Dated government-observed works, not commissioning
• 2026-07-29: Neighbors’ administrative challenge reported by El Observador; outcome not established Reported filing, not a ruling or stay

Unavailable: no matched operating IT-load target and accepted delivered actual. A historic duration estimate alone does not establish schedule variance.

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Sources and claim boundaries

Seven accessible documents: Google’s original announcement; the government dossier, technical assessment and signed approval; a later Presidency construction visit; independent DCD reporting; and independent El Observador administrative-risk reporting. Agency documents share an issuer; DCD’s 2024 report is announcement-based, while the Presidency supplies a separate dated physical-progress observation.

1. Google / Eduardo López · 2024-08-29

   Google announced construction in Canelones, investment exceeding USD 850 million and a role in meeting growing AI demand. The amount is an announced investment plan, not verified spending; the facility serves broader digital infrastructure rather than a disclosed AI-only training load.

   Original company project announcement · Opening paragraphs · Checked 2026-10-16

2. Uruguay Ministry of Environment / OAN · Document date not established

   The dossier identifies Eleanor Applications and the Google data center at Parque de las Ciencias, Ruta 101 km 23.500, Ciudad de la Costa, Canelones. It links the technical assessment and Ministerial Resolution 644/2024 and identifies normal electricity supply from UTE.

   Project-specific government dossier · Project description and document links · Checked 2026-10-16

3. Uruguay Ministry of Environment, final technical assessment · 2024-04-30

   The revised plan has one building in four progressive modules, air-cooled chillers and closed water circuits. It models final electricity use below 560 GWh/year, an initial UTE agreement up to 420 GWh/year, and 48.1 m³/day water demand chiefly for personnel. These are planning quantities, not operating IT load or metered use.

   Original government engineering assessment · EM2023/36001/015669, reference 28; PDF pp. 1–8 and 27–33 · Checked 2026-10-16

4. Uruguay Presidency · 2026-04-14

   The Presidency documents a visit to the Canelones construction site and substantial building progress. This independently observed, dated milestone supports construction status, but does not establish completed testing, environmental operating authorization or customer service.

   Government-observed construction milestone · Construction-site visit account · Checked 2026-10-16

5. DatacenterDynamics · 2024-09-02

   DCD covers the construction announcement and connects Eleanor / Proyecto Teros to Google Canelones. It describes the redesign away from the earlier water-intensive cooling scheme. The old design’s water figure is not current demand, and announcement coverage is not independent commissioning evidence.

   Independent specialist reporting · Article body · Checked 2026-10-16

6. El Observador · Document date not established

   El Observador reports a July 29, 2026 neighbors’ administrative challenge to the environmental authorization, alleging notice and construction-impact problems. The requested revocation or conditions are not a ruling or stop order. A later disposition and any operating acceptance were not established.

   Independent local administrative-risk reporting · Accessible article body; challenge date July 29, 2026 · Checked 2026-10-16

7. Uruguay Ministry of Environment, RM 644/2024 · 2024-06-06

   Resolution 644/2024 grants Eleanor Applications prior environmental authorization for Los Teros and related air-emission and waste-plan approvals. Clause 5 requires a separate environmental operating authorization before operation. Generator documentation, annual PUE procedures and environmental controls remain part of the operating-stage evidence.

   Original government environmental authorization · Expediente 2023/36001/015669; scanned PDF pp. 1, 3, 5–6, clauses 1–5; OCR checked visually · Checked 2026-10-16

AI-assisted source-based research. No original interviews or site visits. Reviewed dates are observation dates; historical events retain their own dates.

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