The Port of Brownsville received a $3.2 billion investment from Austin-based Saronic Technologies, which plans to construct the nation’s largest shipyard. Advanced nuclear fuels manufacturer TRISO-X, a subsidiary of Maryland-based X-energy, hatches even bigger plans than before in Tennessee. Intel has announced a $5.7 billion investment at its manufacturing campus in Ireland.
Archive photo of Widows Creek power plant prior to Google investment courtesy of TVA
Google recently announced a $1.5 billion investment to expand its data center campus in Jackson County, Alabama, which launched in 2019 at the site of the retired Widows Creek coal-fired power plant formerly operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority.
“Sustainable growth is only possible when a community thrives alongside it,” said Thomas Gamble, Jackson County site lead for Google, in the June 15 announcement. “Our continued expansion in Alabama is driven by a long-term vision of shared success. By investing heavily in the students, small businesses, and local organizations that form the backbone of Jackson County, Google aims to build a foundation of opportunity that will benefit the region long after construction is complete.”
The company went on to say that, in line with its support for the White House’s Ratepayer Protection Pledge, it will pay for 100% of the power it uses. To date, Google has contracted to bring more than 300 MW of new generation capacity to the Tennessee Valley region. “In 2025, Google, Kairos Power and TVA announced a historic partnership to supply up to 50 megawatts of advanced nuclear power to Google data centers in Tennessee and Alabama,” said the company, noting that it also acts as a flexible partner to TVA, using data center demand response to reduce power use during peak demand times and support grid stability during extreme weather events. Since it came to the state, Google has partnered with over 100 organizations in Alabama to train more than 153,000 Alabamians in digital skills.
Site Selection chronicled the story of Google’s original Widows Creek location decision in a 2015 Investment Profile commissioned by TVA we chose to call “True Story.” One of the influential factors? The power of the story itself. At the time, the project was the company’s 14th data center worldwide. Today it operates 64 data center locations.
The Oklahoma Certified Main Street Incentive Program brings a fresh injection of investment to a program that has served the state for over 40 years. Just ask Bridgette Nichols, executive director of Pryor Main Street.
Kingston, New York
Photo by halbergman: Getty Images
Smart Growth America has opened applications for its Center for Zoning Solutions (CZS) Awards, which recognize “outstanding achievements in zoning that can support the development of more housing at the right place, type and price.” Honors will be awarded in three categories: Zoning Innovation, Zoning Advocacy and Form-Based Codes.
“After nearly two decades of recognizing the best form-based codes in the country, our new and improved Center for Zoning Solutions Awards will also recognize outstanding achievements in zoning innovation and zoning advocacy that help create places that work for everyone,” Smart Growth America announced earlier this month. Entries are due by Wednesday, August 10, at 5 p.m. Eastern time.
Recent winners for their form-based coding have included Kingston, New York (pictured); South Bend, Indiana; and Opticos Design for its work with Marin County, California.
PHOTO OF THE DAY
Coinciding with the 30-million delivery milestone, GAC’s plant in Rayong, Thailand, rolled out its 10,000th complete vehicle.
Photo courtesy of GAC
Chinese automaker GAC last week celebrated the roll-off of its 30 millionth vehicle, 29 years after the first vehicle was completed. “Multiple GAC manufacturing bases across the world connected live to the event,” the company stated in a detailed account of the milestone. “The GAC Honda P7, GAC Toyota BZ7, AISTALAND GT7, AION N60 and HYPTEC S600 rolled off the production line in sequence as the 29,999,995th to 29,999,999th vehicles. Finally, the right-hand-drive GAC M8 PHEV (named GN8 overseas) took the stage as the 30 millionth vehicle. The collective debut of this full lineup of new energy vehicles offered an intuitive display of GAC’s all-out push for electrification and intelligent upgrading.” The keys to the vehicle were handed over to Thai vehicle owner and action movie superstar Tony Jaa.
GAC said its international business covers five major global regions across 110 countries and territories, encompassing 746 sales and service outlets, seven overseas manufacturing plants and nine overseas auto parts warehouses. “GAC International posted strong export results in the first half of 2026,” the company said, “with exports topping 120,000 units, up 132% year-on-year.” Plant locations beyond several Chinese cities include Graz, Austria (where mass production of the AION UT just launched); Lagos, Nigeria; Indonesia; Rayong, Thailand; and a new plant coming to Mexico, a country that fellow Chinese carmakers such as Geely and BYD are also looking to for manufacturing expansion in order to avoid the 50% tariff on Chinese-made cars currently in effect.
