Microsoft recently disclosed they had purchased nearly 300 acres of land from United Power and Land Co., a company affiliated with Xcel, in a deal that closed on February 12 for $17.7 million.

Microsoft has plans to build a data center at that location. As reported in the Patriot several years ago, Google had been in talks to develop the $600 million site near the Sherco power plant since 2017, but backed out of the project in late 2022.

“We are pleased that the sale of the land has been completed and the effort to bring a data center to Becker is moving one step forward,” Kevin Coss, an Xcel spokesperson said last week. “ The data center will bring investment and jobs to the area, providing the economic development the community has been seeking.”

Xcel is planning to close their three big coal-fired generators at Sherco by the year 2030. They reportedly are planning a solar farm to replace the existing plant.