Improper Redaction Reveals Google Data Center Resource Usage: What the Numbers Really Show

The Redaction That Wasn’t

In a striking example of how digital security can fail, improper redaction in official Nebraska government documents has revealed previously hidden information about Google’s data center operations in the state. Using nothing more than a computer cursor and copy-paste functionality, journalists uncovered electricity and water usage figures that Google had claimed were trade secrets.

This incident raises important questions about corporate transparency, environmental impact, and the true cost of AI infrastructure.

The Discovery

Nebraska’s Department of Water, Energy, and Environment (DWEE) requires data centers to submit annual reports detailing their resource consumption. Google’s data centers in Lincoln, Omaha, and Papillion claimed their electricity and water usage were trade secrets under Nebraska Revised Statutes §§ 81-1527, 84-712.05, and NAC TITLE 115, CH. 2.

However, the redaction was improperly applied. By highlighting the redacted text boxes in the PDF and copying them into a separate document, the actual figures became visible.

What the Numbers Reveal

Lincoln Data Center (Agate LLC):

• Peak Electricity Demand: 52.65 megawatts
• Annual Water Usage: 13.299 megagallons (approximately 13 million gallons)
• Facility Size: 288,530 square feet (roughly five football fields)
• Expected 2025 Tax Refund: $55,822,472

Papillion Data Center (Fireball Group LLC):

• Annual Water Usage: 547.88 megagallons
• Expected 2025 Tax Refund: $39,171,573.39

Omaha Data Center (Westwood Solutions LLC):

• Expected 2025 Tax Refund: $22,558,881

Combined Nebraska Data Centers:

• Total Annual Water Usage: 765 million gallons (enough to fill 1,159.93 Olympic-size swimming pools)

Putting the Numbers in Perspective

Understanding these figures requires context. The Lincoln data center’s 13.299 megagallons of water annually sounds substantial, but comparisons reveal a more nuanced picture.

Agricultural Comparison:
The average Nebraska farm uses approximately 1,200 acre-feet of water annually (roughly 390 million gallons). A single average Nebraska farm uses approximately 30 times more water than the Lincoln Google data center. With 44,479 farms covering 44 million acres — over 90% of the state’s total land area — agriculture dominates Nebraska’s water consumption.

Daily Comparison:
The Lincoln data center’s 13.299 megagallons annually equals approximately 36,400 gallons per day. For comparison, the City of Lincoln reported using significantly more water on a single day (September 29, 2026).

Olympic Pool Equivalent:
The 13 million gallons used by the Lincoln facility would fill approximately 20 Olympic-size swimming pools annually.

The Tax Incentive Question

Perhaps more controversial than the resource usage are the tax refunds. Google’s three Nebraska data centers are collectively expecting refunds totaling approximately $117.5 million from 2025 taxes alone.

These refunds come from:

• Nebraska Advantage Act: Sales and use tax exemptions
• ImagiNE Nebraska Act: Potential incentive payments (none received to date)

The documents indicate that no rebates have been received under these programs to date, nor are any incentive payments expected. However, the expected refunds represent substantial public investment in these facilities.

Environmental Considerations

While the water usage numbers are relatively modest compared to agriculture, several environmental factors deserve consideration:

Water Type and Fate:
Data center water is primarily used for cooling towers and evaporative systems. The water either evaporates or is recycled, making it unavailable for other uses. This differs from agricultural water, which may soak into the ground or run off into rivers, potentially being reused downstream.

Location Matters:
Nebraska receives substantial rainfall and has abundant groundwater resources. The water usage impact is different than it would be in drought-prone states like California or Arizona.

Electricity Source:
The 52.65 megawatts of peak demand at the Lincoln facility represents significant electricity consumption. The source of this electricity — whether from renewable or fossil fuel sources — affects the true environmental impact.

The Broader Data Center Landscape

The Lincoln facility represents just one of many data centers operating in Nebraska. The six data centers reporting as of September 30 collectively used 765 million gallons of water annually.

Nationally, data center water usage has become increasingly scrutinized as AI workloads drive demand for more computing power. The industry faces pressure to:

• Improve cooling efficiency
• Use recycled or reclaimed water
• Locate facilities in water-abundant regions
• Invest in alternative cooling technologies

The Redaction Failure

The improper redaction raises important questions about document security and corporate transparency:

Why Claim Trade Secrets?
Google’s decision to claim water and electricity usage as trade secrets is questionable. These figures don’t reveal proprietary technology or business strategy — they’re operational metrics that affect public resources.

Public Interest vs. Corporate Privacy:
Nebraska’s public records laws attempt to balance corporate privacy with public interest. The redaction failure suggests that either:

• The redaction process was inadequate
• The classification as trade secrets was inappropriate
• Both

Transparency Precedent:
This incident may encourage other states to require more transparent reporting of data center resource usage, particularly as AI infrastructure expands.

What This Means for AI Infrastructure

As AI workloads continue to grow, data center resource consumption will become increasingly important. Key implications include:

Environmental Planning:
States and regions must plan for the water and electricity demands of AI infrastructure, particularly as multiple large facilities may locate in the same area.

Tax Policy:
The substantial tax incentives offered to data centers raise questions about whether public investment is justified by job creation and economic benefits.

Transparency Requirements:
Public disclosure of resource usage allows communities to make informed decisions about hosting data centers and to hold companies accountable for environmental impact.

Technology Development:
As resource consumption becomes more visible, there’s increased incentive for companies to develop more efficient cooling and computing technologies.

The Bigger Picture

The Lincoln data center’s resource usage is modest compared to agriculture and other industries. However, the incident highlights important principles:

1. Transparency Matters: Public resources deserve public scrutiny
2. Context is Critical: Raw numbers mean little without comparison
3. Trade Secrets Have Limits: Not all operational data should be classified as proprietary
4. Digital Security Requires Diligence: Proper redaction is essential for protecting genuinely sensitive information

Conclusion

The improper redaction that revealed Google’s Nebraska data center resource usage provides valuable lessons about transparency, environmental impact, and corporate accountability. While the water and electricity consumption figures are relatively modest in absolute terms, they represent important data points for understanding the true cost of AI infrastructure.

As AI continues to drive demand for computing power, communities and policymakers must balance economic benefits against environmental and resource considerations. Transparent reporting of resource usage — whether through proper public records or investigative journalism — is essential for making informed decisions about where and how to build the infrastructure that powers our digital future.

The incident also serves as a reminder that in the digital age, security through obscurity is no longer viable. Proper document handling, appropriate classification of sensitive information, and genuine transparency are the only sustainable approaches to managing public records.