Amazon ends secret data center pacts and pledges $1 billion to host towns

Amazon has ended the practice of requiring nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) with government agencies involved in its data center projects. The company unveiled its Data Center Commitment program, designed to address opposition to AI infrastructure. Additionally, Amazon pledged to invest over $1 billion over five years in communities hosting its facilities.

This move comes as more than 100 data center moratoriums are being considered across the U.S. The company aims to make data centers more attractive to locals by holding community open houses, disclosing project information early, and addressing local concerns. Amazon also promised to disclose annual energy and efficiency metrics, including energy consumption, water usage, and the proportion of electricity sourced from carbon-free sources.

The company reported a global power usage efficiency (PUE) of 1.14 for 2025, compared to an industry average of 1.25 and 1.63 for on-premises enterprise data centers. Amazon's facilities were also found to be 7 times more water-efficient than the industry average and are on track to become water-positive by 2030. New sites will utilize backup generators compliant with EPA Tier 4 emissions standards, although the specification remains somewhat ambiguous in terms of generator classes.

Amazon's efforts to counter concerns about resource requirements include the Built Together initiative, which will provide over $1 billion in community spending over five years. The program includes free community-college education for more than 300,000 students and upgrades to energy efficiency for schools, community buildings, and 30,000 homes, targeting energy bill reductions of 20%-40% and annual savings of approximately $700 per household.

Additionally, more than 65 contracted water projects are expected to return over 8 billion gallons of water annually, more than twice the amount Amazon consumed in 2025 for its data centers.