Microsoft West Des Moines
West Des Moines, Polk County, IA
Microsoft West Des Moines is a mapped data center in Polk County, IA, operated by Microsoft Data Center LLC and ultimately owned by Microsoft Corporation. DataCentersExposed has documented 360 MW of reported power capacity at this site.
Reporting by Eric Keller · Updated Jun 14, 2026
Most sites are mapped — located but awaiting a second source. How we verify
Dot size = disclosed capacity (MW). Smallest = undisclosed, not small.
Overview
Microsoft West Des Moines is a hyperscale data center in West Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa, operated by Microsoft Data Center LLC and ultimately owned by Microsoft Corporation. Operational since 2014, the site has a reported power capacity of 360 MW, drawing electricity from Midamerican Energy Co on the MISO grid.
Operator chain
- Ultimate parentMicrosoft Corporation
- Files asMicrosoft Data Center LLC
- This facilityMicrosoft West Des Moines
The grid behind this site, right now
source: MISO · gridstatus- Coal20.8%
- Wind20.7%
- Natural Gas19.9%
- Solar18.2%
- Nuclear14.6%
- Imports4.0%
- Other1.8%
Real-time generation mix for the MISO grid this site draws from, as of Jun 16, 2026, 2:45 PM. ISO-wide, not this facility's own metering. Source: gridstatus.
In the news
source: Google News- WDM Water Works looks to future water needs and nitrate removal, talks data center impactsWHO13.com· Jun 12, 2026
- Statewide: As data center pushback grows, governments consider regulationsNPR Illinois· Jun 11, 2026
- Here’s what projects were issued building permits in AprilBusiness Record· May 13, 2026
- West Des Moines' 3 largest water usersAxios· May 7, 2026
- Wisconsin data center tax incentives spark debate over cost and regulationWPR· Apr 29, 2026
- West Des Moines data center program gives free tuition to learn new careerAxios· Mar 26, 2026
Tax breaks & subsidies
source: Good Jobs First / GASB 77These tax breaks are recorded to Microsoft Corporation (the operator/parent) and may cover this or other sites — no state names the recipient at the facility level.
- Texas Qualifying Large Data Center Project Exemption$0State of Texas · granted 2024 · term — yr · source
- Texas Qualifying Large Data Center Project Exemption$0State of Texas · granted 2023 · term — yr · source
- Qualified Data Center Sales Tax Exemption$0State of Wisconsin · granted 2023 · term — yr · source
- Texas Qualifying Large Data Center Project Exemption$0State of Texas · granted 2022 · term — yr · source
- Texas Qualifying Data Center Exemption$0State of Texas · granted 2021 · term — yr · source
- Texas Qualifying Large Data Center Project Exemption$0State of Texas · granted 2015 · term — yr · source
- Texas Qualifying Data Center Exemption$0State of Texas · granted 2013 · term — yr · source
- Texas Qualifying Data Center Exemption$0State of Texas · granted 2013 · term — yr · source
Water use
No measured record exists, so this is a low-confidence model from 360 MW (disclosed IT power): 1.8 L/kWh cooling (temperate climate) + 0.55 gal/kWh embedded in MISO grid mix. How we estimate. Have a utility document? Send it and we'll replace this with the real figure.
EPA permits & violations
source: EPA ECHONo reported violations as of last sync.
Air quality near this site
source: AirNowAir Quality Index from the nearest AirNow reporting area (Des Moines), as of 2026-06-10. Regional context — not this facility's own emissions.
Who lives nearby
source: Census ACS 2023Demographics of the census tract this facility sits in (American Community Survey 5-year estimates). Environmental-justice context for who bears the local impacts.
Nearest school
source: HIFLD / NCESThe nearest public school, Walnut Creek Campus in West Des Moines, is 0.3 mi from this site (147 students). 3 public schools sit within a mile of the site.
Schools are sensitive receptors for the noise, backup-generator exhaust, and traffic a large data center brings. Straight-line distance to the nearest public school (HIFLD/NCES, US public schools only).
Hearings timeline
No public-hearing records linked to this site yet. We surface planning-commission and board-of-supervisors dates when a record names a facility. If you know of a hearing on this site, tell us.