Microsoft wants to bring a sixth data center, called Ruthenium, to West Des Moines

Phillip Sitter, Des Moines Register
·5 min read

West Des Moines and Microsoft are working to bring a sixth data center to the southern area of the city, continuing the tech giant's 15-year stretch of data center construction in the Des Moines suburb.

The data centers have not come without some environmental concerns and worries of neighboring property owners, but they also have been part of a construction boon that's supported the development of public infrastructure in West Des Moines as well as development of advanced artificial intelligence systems.

The latest Microsoft data center would be called Ruthenium, located on about 132 acres of newly-annexed land bounded by Southwest 60th Street, 110th Street, Woodland Avenue and Veterans Parkway.

The West Des Moines City Council on Nov. 20 unanimously approved the first of three steps to zone the newly-annexed land as light industrial use. That vote came after the council on Oct. 23 approved a voluntary annexation of the land, which was owned by Flinn Farms and Marco Properties.

A map shows the 132 acres of land that's been annexed for anticipated development of a sixth Microsoft data center, to be called Ruthenium. Osmium, the company's third data center, can be seen to the southeast.
A map shows the 132 acres of land that's been annexed for anticipated development of a sixth Microsoft data center, to be called Ruthenium. Osmium, the company's third data center, can be seen to the southeast.

Development of the site is still in the early stages. Paul Englis, Microsoft’s Seattle area-based director of community research and communications, told the City Council on Nov. 20 that the company expected it would close on the sale of the property in the next couple of weeks.

After that would come planning work and development of a site plan with city staff, which would include opportunity for public input, Englis said.

The facility would be in Madison County, making it the fourth county in West Des Moines to have a Microsoft data center, according to a list from Ryan Moffatt, the city's community and economic development director:

  • Project Mountain — 8855 Grand Ave., Dallas County

  • Project Alluvion — 3590 S.E. Soteria Ave., Polk County

  • Project Osmium — 5855 S.W. Kerry St., Warren County

  • Project Ginger West — 11100 Booneville Road, Dallas County

  • Project Ginger East — 1475 S.E. Maffitt Lake Road, Polk County

Ruthenium would be located immediately northwest of Osmium.

Construction continues at both of the Ginger sites. On the same day City Council members approved the first step of the zoning process for Ruthenium, the council's development and planning subcommittee also saw plans for the construction of two more buildings at Ginger West.

Microsoft data centers present challenges but have been opportunities for economic growth

While the data centers have raised concerns about land, water and energy use, officials have credited the construction of more than $100 million of surrounding public infrastructure, such as roads, as opening up thousands of acres for future development.

Microsoft invested about $3.5 billion into the construction of just the first three data centers, beginning with the Mountain site. Council documents did not have an expected price tag for Ruthenium.

Data centers don't directly employ a lot of people compared to other large facilities but they do provide years of steady construction work in an area. Tech companies including Microsoft, Apple and Meta, formerly known as Facebook, have been attracted to central Iowa because of its relatively inexpensive farmland, access to high-speed internet and fewer weather disasters than in other parts of the U.S.

Microsoft and partner OpenAI have used the central Iowa data centers to develop the artificial intelligence large language model GPT-4, which powers premium versions of ChatGPT and some of Microsoft’s own products. Its use has required a lot of electricity and water to keep electronic equipment cool, according to the Associated Press.

A Microsoft data center is seen near Interstate 35, Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2023, in West Des Moines. Microsoft has been amassing a cluster of data centers to power its cloud computing services for more than a decade.
A Microsoft data center is seen near Interstate 35, Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2023, in West Des Moines. Microsoft has been amassing a cluster of data centers to power its cloud computing services for more than a decade.

Researchers have tied Microsoft's artificial intelligence development to the company's 34% spike in global water consumption between 2021 and 2022, when it gulped down a total of 1.7 billion gallons.

In July 2022 in West Des Moines, the month before OpenAI completed its training of GPT-4, Microsoft pumped in about 11.5 million gallons of water to its Iowa data centers, equal to about 6% of all the water used in the West Des Moines Water Works, which also supplies drinking water.

Microsoft told the Associated Press that it was investing in ways to make use of artificial intelligence more energy and water efficient and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

More: Artificial intelligence technology behind ChatGPT was built in Iowa — with a lot of water

Also going forward, a lawyer representing property owners immediately south of the newly-annexed land for Ruthenium told the City Council that the owners were not opposed to the project. But they want to be involved in the development process over concerns about the impact to the area.

Carol Reichardt, a Clive resident, owns with her sisters Sargent Farms, which is one of the properties that would be immediately south of Ruthenium. She told the West Des Moines City Council on Nov. 20 that over the past 20 years, she and her family have expanded the pond on the 150-acre property, built a cabin, planted 80 acres of pollinator-friendly and native grasses, created a commercial organic berry crop, planted an apple orchard and raised bees.

"This place is very important to us," Reichardt said of the four generations of family who use the property to farm, recreate and socialize. They also have offered the property for wedding reception and as a retreat site for nonprofits working with refugees and seniors.

Reichardt said the long-term vision for their property is to develop it into residential use but said her family worries that vision and the natural aesthetic of the area will be lost with Ruthenium across the street.

She asked for a pause on the zoning process until there's a full disclosure of plans for the site and asked to be involved in the site planning process.

Moffatt said the city is on the expedient zoning process timeline so Microsoft can close on the property. However, council members also directed city staff to include Reichardt into conversations going forward.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Phillip Sitter focuses for the Des Moines Register on reporting on suburban growth and development in the western metro areas. Phillip can be reached via email at psitter@gannett.com. He is on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @pslifeisabeauty.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Microsoft works to bring sixth data center to West Des Moines