Data centers in Nobles County, Minnesota: 1 project mapped

Imagery: Esri, Maxar

Data centers cannot be built on Nobles County farmland after the County Board voted 3-2 on April 21, 2026 to reject a zoning change that would have allowed them. The vote stopped Geronimo Power's $4 billion plan for a data center complex on about 950 acres just east of Reading and north of Worthington, in Elk Township. Geronimo said it would consider other options, "including some other communities that have expressed interest."

About 300 people packed the planning commission hearing on April 8, where 19 people spoke for the project, including three Geronimo representatives and one from Nobles Cooperative Electric, and 18 spoke against. The commission voted to keep data centers out of the agricultural preservation district, with only Brent Feikema dissenting. That district covers 70 to 80 percent of the county; farming is "our number one industry," County Administrator Bruce Heitkamp said. County scoping documents estimated the project would have paid about $7 million a year in taxes.

At the board vote, Commissioners Chris Dybevick and Robert Demuth wanted staff to keep working on other ordinance options. "I don't believe moving this to another site within the county is going to alleviate any of the issues I hear from constituents," Commissioner Gene Metz said. Geronimo president Blake Nixon told MPR News: "if the community doesn't want it, we're not going to force it on the community."

Every project above is drawn from public records, filings and local reporting. Each row links to what it is based on. Statuses change, so check the source date before you rely on one. Found something wrong? Write to [email protected] and it gets fixed.