Project Braid Delays: Google and Blackstone's Joint Venture Hits Snags

Google and Blackstone's joint venture, known as Project Braid, has hit delays in some of its data center projects. The company aims to launch a new cloud platform offering Google's Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) and plans to bring 500MW of capacity online by 2027.

The JV has faced obstacles at various data center locations across the US, including Cheyenne, Wyoming, where Crusoe was previously developing a 1.8GW campus that could scale to 10GW. Google took over the project after Crusoe paused work in June due to losing confidence in Crusoe's ability to deliver.

Another project site was deemed unsuitable because it had the wrong kinds of transformers, and Governor Greg Abbott's decision to freeze new projects in Texas has also presented an obstacle.

Despite these delays, Benjamin Treynor Sloss, the CEO of Project Braid, remains optimistic. He stated that 'it is very common for individual potential sites to progress at different rates' and that the JV has a 'diversified set of options' and is making 'strong progress.'