Google announced Thursday the construction of a data center in Uruguay, the second of the American giant in South America, representing an investment of 850 million dollars. It will be built in the Parque de las Ciencias, about 30 km from the city center of Montevideo, and will be responsible for Google's digital services such as Search, YouTube, Maps and Workspace, according to a statement from the company.'We are very pleased to announce this important milestone that aligns with three key commitments: our continued commitment to Latin America, our focus on sustainability, and our strong belief that Uruguay is a hub of innovation in the region,' said Eduardo Lopez, president of Google Cloud Latin America, in the statement.The data center will be the tech giant's second in South America, after the one in Quilicura, Chile, which opened in 2015.Negotiations for the installation of this headquarters in Uruguay began in 2019, under the government of former President Tabaré Vazquez, and Google announced its construction on Thursday, after obtaining the required environmental permits.The daily amount of water needed by a Google data center has raised questions in Uruguay from environmentalists and academics, especially after the drinking water supply crisis caused by a historic drought in 2023.Google said Thursday that the new data center will use "air-cooled technology" that is "environmentally friendly."'Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do, and our data centers are designed and operated according to its principles. It is a value shared with the Uruguayan community, and we are committed to growing our business in Uruguay and around the world in a responsible manner,' said Lopez.Google said that once operational, the new Uruguayan site will be integrated into the company's global network, which includes 28 data centers around the world.Source: Burkina Information Agency