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Data center campus · Summit Lake and Elk townships, about six miles northwest of Worthington near Reading and Brewster, Nobles County, Minnesota

Nobles County Powered Data Park

Denied as of April 21, 2026

Geronimo Power proposed a data center site of 400 MW or more on about 959 acres northwest of Worthington; the Nobles County board rejected the zoning change it needed in April 2026. Also known as: Nobles County Data Center AUAR.

Cite← Minnesota data centers
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Power400MW reported · stated
Floor area2.5e+06sq ft
Site959acres

Who is behind it

ProjectNobles County Powered Data ParkAlso: Nobles County Data Center AUAR
Developer and teamGeronimo Power
End userNot found in the recordsNot yet named in any record or credited report we have found.

The record, newest first

  1. The county board voted 3-2, in line with the planning commission's recommendation, against the zoning text amendment that would have allowed data centers as a conditional use in agricultural preservation districts. (Courier (couriermn.com), Sept. 15, 2026; KFGO, April 23, 2026; DatacenterDynamics, April 24, 2026)

  2. The EQB Monitor listed the draft order for review of the Nobles County Data Center AUAR, covering about 959 acres on 13 parcels in Summit Lake and Elk townships, with build-out by 2035; comments were due April 16, 2026. (Minnesota Environmental Quality Board, March 17, 2026; Dakota News Now, March 19, 2026)

  3. Ahead of public open houses on Jan. 20-21, 2026, the county board picked a consultant for an AUAR, with Geronimo paying the fees, and adopted a memorandum of understanding with the company. (The Globe (Worthington), undated)

  4. In mid-October, Geronimo Power presented the idea to the Nobles County Planning Commission: 400-450 MW, more than $4 billion in investment, and a large tech company as the eventual owner and operator. (The Globe (Worthington), undated; DatacenterDynamics, Dec. 2, 2025)

Conflicts and open questions

  • Vote date from Courier's tracker (April 21, 2026); KFGO reported the vote on April 23.
  • Acreage: 959 acres in the AUAR; KFGO says Geronimo bought 640 acres near Brewster and Reading; The Globe's 2025 review said no land had been bought yet. Building area of 2.5 million sq ft in eight buildings is from DCD, citing a draft scoping document.
  • The Globe stories show no publication dates; the January board action date is not stated.
  • No record found of a revised proposal after the vote. Utility not confirmed.

The full record

Status note
On April 21, 2026, the Nobles County Board of Commissioners voted 3-2 against a zoning text change that would have let data centers locate in agricultural preservation districts, which the project needed. Geronimo said it would consider other options.
Power note
400 MW at first, possibly 1,000 MW later (developer, per Dakota News Now; DCD cites a draft scoping document for 400 MW to 1 GW). Earlier reports gave 400-450 or 400-500 MW.
Evidence
Primary public records
Size class
50 MW or more (tracker scope)
Map position approximate, from the reported address or area. Updated Oct. 17, 2026.