Imperial Data Center
Imperial, Imperial County, CADeveloper: Imperial Valley Computer Manufacturing
Also known as Imperial Valley Computer Manufacturing data center
- Rumored
- Proposed
- Approved
- Under construction
- Operating
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Imperial Valley Computer Manufacturing, led by developer Sebastian Rucci, proposes a nearly 1 million sq ft, 330 MW data center on about 75 acres at Aten and Clark roads just outside the city of Imperial, next to the Victoria Ranch neighborhood. Imperial County supervisors approved a lot merger in April 2026 without environmental review, then adopted a moratorium; courts have since set aside both the moratorium and the lot merger approval, and the developer is also suing the Imperial Irrigation District for Colorado River water.
Key facts
Size & schedule
| Planned capacity | 330 MW [1] |
|---|---|
| Site size | 75 acres [3] |
| Floor area | 950,000 sq ft [2] described as nearly 1 million sq ft |
| Stated investment | $10 billion [3] as reported in developer's federal lawsuit coverage |
| Permanent jobs (promised) | 100 [2] |
| Construction jobs | 2,500 [2] developer figure; county consultant estimated 1,600-1,700 |
How big is that? Data center sizes compared with football fields and Central Park.
Power
| Power supply | On-site substation, battery system, and natural gas generators for backup [5] |
|---|---|
| Backup generators | 100 natural gas-powered backup emergency generators [9] per court documents cited in the City of Imperial's petition Source excerpt“An electrical substation and 100 natural gas-powered backup emergency generators to ensure continuous operation.” |
Water
| Water use | 750,000 gal/day [4] for cooling; developer seeks 260 million gallons per year from IID |
|---|---|
| Water source | Originally planned recycled water from nearby cities; developer now seeking Colorado River water from Imperial Irrigation District [4] |
| Water permit | Imperial Irrigation District denied the developer's water service request on May 1, 2026, citing Regulation 21 [11]Source excerpt“On May 1, 2026, the district denied the request. Court records say the denial rested on Regulation 21, a rule for small parcels that blocks new water hookups within 300 feet of a city's drinking water supply.” |
Local decisions & site
| Zoning | No rezoning or conditional use permit required, per Feb. 10, 2026 Superior Court ruling on the City of Imperial's amended complaint [10]Source excerpt“the court on Feb. 10 found the amended complaint legally insufficient, effectively concluding that the project does not require a rezoning or a CUP.” |
|---|---|
| Nearest homes or schools | a couple hundred feet from homes in the City of Imperial [2] as argued in the City of Imperial's court complaint Source excerpt“The City of Imperial objected to that shortcut in a court complaint that argues that the project is located just a couple hundred feet from homes in the incorporated city” |
Figures are as stated by the cited source. Where sources disagree, each figure is shown.
Water and power
Water
Not disclosed. No source reviewed gives a water figure for this site. The Census does not estimate one.
Disclosed figures only, each as the cited source states it. Many are projections or permit limits, not metered use. How data center water and power use is measured, and every disclosed figure →
Lawsuits
| Imperial Valley Computer Manufacturing v. Imperial Irrigation District | pending [11] The developer's verified petition challenges the irrigation district's denial of water service for the data center, raising eight legal claims. Imperial County Superior Court · filed Jun 5, 2026 Source excerpt“On June 5, 2026, the company filed a verified petition in Imperial County Superior Court against the Imperial Irrigation District. The petition lists eight legal claims.” |
|---|
Timeline
County Planning Commission declines to approve lot merger; developer appeals [1]
Developer sues City of Imperial in federal court after moving project to county land [3]
Imperial County Superior Court finds the City of Imperial's amended CEQA complaint legally insufficient [10]
Board of Supervisors approves lot merger 4-1 [5]
Imperial Irrigation District rejects developer's water application [4]
Board of Supervisors adopts 45-day data center moratorium; developer sues IID for water access [6]
Moratorium extended ten months and fifteen days [6]
County says Superior Court found moratorium findings insufficient and ordered it withdrawn [6]
Superior Court sets aside lot merger approval and orders CEQA environmental review [7]
The Imperial Irrigation District board approves a Large Load Tariff, new pricing rules making data centers the first to have their power cut during surges in demand [12]
Issues raised
- The City of Imperial sued under CEQA, citing air quality, water use, and energy demand near homes [2]
- The developer previously said the project would not use Colorado River water, then sought it after recycled-water talks failed [4]
- KPBS reported the campus could use nearly double the electricity Imperial County used in 2024 [5]
Issues are concerns and claims raised by the parties, officials or residents named in the cited sources. They are reported as attributed, not as findings by the Census.
Sources
- 'This data center will come.' The fight over California's largest AI developmentinewsource · Apr 5, 2026 · news
- This million-square-foot data center would be the biggest in the state. How local leaders are challenging itCalMatters · Jun 23, 2026 · news
- Developer of $10B Data Center Sues City of Imperial in Fed CourtCalexico Chronicle · Jan 12, 2026 · news
- Imperial Valley data center developer files lawsuit seeking access to Colorado River waterKPBS · Jun 15, 2026 · news
- Imperial County supervisors clear path for massive data center complex amid fierce oppositionKPBS · Apr 7, 2026 · news
- Imperial County Provides Update on Data Center MoratoriumCounty of Imperial · Aug 28, 2026 · government
- Court overturns approval of Imperial County data center, orders environmental reviewKPBS · Sep 9, 2026 · news
- Desert data center developer challenges county moratorium in courtCourthouse News Service · Jul 28, 2026 · news
- City of Imperial sues County to halt massive data center project, City of El Centro respondsImperial Valley Press · Dec 13, 2025 · news
- Imperial's CEQA Claims Are Insufficient to Challenge Data CenterCalexico Chronicle · Feb 11, 2026 · news
- Data center water fight heads to Imperial County courtWestern Water · Aug 4, 2026 · news
- Imperial Valley utility adopts new pricing rules, putting data centers first for power cutsKPBS · Sep 16, 2026 · news
Cite this page
Last updated Sep 24, 2026. Figures may change as records are updated — include the date you retrieved them.
| APA | Data Center Census. (2026). Imperial Data Center. Retrieved from https://datacentercensus.com/dc/imperial-data-center-imperial-county-ca |
|---|---|
| MLA | “Imperial Data Center.” Data Center Census, Sep 24, 2026, https://datacentercensus.com/dc/imperial-data-center-imperial-county-ca. |
| Link | https://datacentercensus.com/dc/imperial-data-center-imperial-county-ca |
Republishing a figure or table? Attribute it to Data Center Census with a link to this page. The underlying data is downloadable as JSON and CSV; the press kit has standing figures and contact details.