Oracle Seeks Force Majeure Protection for $165B New Mexico Data Center

Project Jupiter is designed for 2.45 gigawatts of power—enough to supply roughly 1.8 million homes—an unusually large demand for an arid region where resource management is already a concern.
Project Jupiter is described as a cornerstone of the Stargate AI infrastructure build-out, which President Donald Trump unveiled alongside leaders from Oracle, OpenAI and SoftBank.
Investing.com reported that Blue Owl shares fell 4% and Bloom Energy shares fell 6%; Bloom was expected to play a major role in providing power for the campus.
MarketWatch reported Oracle shares fell 6.9% to $134.66 on Thursday and were down 31% year to date.
Oracle sent a force majeure notice to Blue Owl Capital, the developer of Project Jupiter, its $165 billion AI data center in New Mexico, seeking to defer payments if local opposition or regulatory delays prevent the facility from opening in 2028 TipRanks. The move triggered a 6% to 7% drop in Oracle shares, with MarketWatch reporting the stock fell 6.9% to $134.66 on Thursday and is down 31% year to date.
Oracle maintains the project remains on schedule and says it is committed to New Mexico The Province. However, legal experts have questioned whether local opposition and regulatory setbacks qualify as force majeure — events beyond a company's control — leaving the notice potentially vulnerable to challenge Financial Post.
Project Jupiter is designed to consume 2.45 gigawatts of power — enough electricity to supply roughly 1.8 million homes Motley Fool. For an arid region like New Mexico where water and energy resources are already stretched, the project has sparked significant local opposition and raised questions about sustainability. The data center is central to the Stargate AI infrastructure initiative that President Donald Trump announced alongside Oracle, OpenAI, and SoftBank leaders Motley Fool.
A force majeure clause typically protects parties from liability when unforeseen circumstances beyond their control prevent them from meeting contractual obligations. By sending this notice to Blue Owl Capital, Oracle is signaling it may seek relief from financial commitments if the project faces delays The Province. Experts note that regulatory setbacks and community opposition may not legally qualify as force majeure events, since these are foreseeable risks in large development projects.
The force majeure notice weighed not only on Oracle but also on companies tied to the project Investing.com. Blue Owl Capital shares fell 4%, while Bloom Energy, expected to provide power infrastructure for the campus, dropped 6% Investing.com. These declines reflect investor concerns that regulatory or environmental hurdles could derail the entire $165 billion development.
Oracle's contradictory messaging — reaffirming its commitment to New Mexico while simultaneously seeking force majeure protection — has raised investor skepticism Rolling Out. The notice appears aimed at limiting financial exposure rather than signaling project abandonment. Still, the move signals Oracle is bracing for the possibility that local resistance or regulatory delays could jeopardize the 2028 completion timeline.
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