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Oregon Data Center Intel
Latest data center news, projects, power and policy across Oregon — updated daily.
Recent Oregon data center news
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Data centers seek flexible power solutions for resilience, sustainability
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Pixels Are Thirsty: The Hidden Water Crisis Behind Data Centers, AI Art, And Digital Hype
The article highlights the hidden environmental cost of water consumption by data centers powering the internet, AI art, and digital services.
- Tech giants like Google, Microsoft, and Amazon use billions of gallons of water annually for evaporative cooling of data centers, often located in water-scarce regions such as Arizona, Oregon, Chile, India, and Spain.
- Local communities in places like The Dalles, Oregon, and Mesa, Arizona, have pushed back against data center expansions due to water scarcity concerns, resulting in increased transparency and stricter regulations.
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Climate Change Solutions - July 15, 2025
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) recaps recent U.S. climate and energy policy developments, including new legislation, issue briefs, and upcoming events.
- Reconciliation package (P.L. 119-21) signed into law on July 4, 2025, ending or curtailing tax incentives for energy efficiency, renewables, and electric vehicles.
- Congressional committees advanced bills on algal bloom mitigation, precision agriculture, coastal data, and wildfire resilience; EESI published briefs on critical minerals, data center water use, and recapped 60 climate-related hearings from May-June 2025.
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Portland General Electric Announces First Quarter 2025 Results
Portland General Electric (PGE) announced first quarter 2025 financial results and key operational updates.
- Reported net income of $100 million for Q1 2025, with reaffirmed 2025 adjusted earnings guidance of $3.13 to $3.33 per diluted share.
- Advanced battery storage capacity with 292 MW operating from Constable, Sundial, and Coffee Creek systems; plus 200 MW Seaside battery expected mid-2025, totaling over 500 MW.
- Released 2024 Environmental, Social and Governance Report highlighting 45% of energy mix from non-emitting resources and emission reduction commitments of 80% by 2030 and 100% by 2040.
- Paid quarterly dividend of $0.525 per share, payable July 15, 2025.
These initiatives reflect PGE’s continued focus on clean energy integration, reliability, and sustainability targets.
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Data Center Energy Needs Could Upend Power Grids and Threaten the Climate
This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the energy consumption and sustainability challenges posed by rapidly increasing data centers in the United States.
- As of March 2025, there were 5,426 data centers nationally, consuming about 17 GW of power in 2022, with projections to increase to 130 GW by 2030.
- Approximately 56% of the electricity used in these data centers is sourced from fossil fuels, significantly contributing to carbon emissions and climate change.
- Data centers emitted about 105 million metric tons of carbon in 2023, up from 31.5 million tons in 2018, marking a 300% increase.
- Virginia, especially Northern Virginia, is a major hub with hundreds of data centers consuming more than 3 GW power, mostly from fossil fuels, posing challenges to renewable energy goals.
- Sustainable solutions include siting data centers near renewable energy sources, on-site renewable generation, and energy efficiency measures.
The article underscores the urgent need for sustainable energy strategies in data center operations to mitigate climate impact.
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Request for Information on Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure on DOE Lands
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued a Request for Information (RFI) to explore opportunities for AI infrastructure development on its lands. This initiative is part of a broader effort to enhance AI capabilities in the U.S. and maintain leadership in the field. The RFI targets industry input on potential development approaches and operational models for AI data centers at select DOE sites, aiming for operational commencement by the end of 2027. Responses to this RFI are due by May 7, 2025.
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Addressing Data Center Growth Constraints Key to U.S. Innovation, Leadership in AI
The article discusses the growing demand for data centers driven by AI, highlighting that U.S. data centers will account for 6.6% of electricity consumption by 2028. Key limitations for growth include chip supply, tariffs, and electricity reliability. The U.S. CHIPS and Science Act aims to boost domestic semiconductor manufacturing which won’t operationalize until 2028-2029. Hyperscalers are exploring power models to manage the increasing energy needs, with a shift towards renewable sources for cooling and power supply.
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Los centros de datos de Meta obtendrán energía de un proyecto solar de 321 MW en Texas
Avangrid, a subsidiary of Iberdrola, has launched its True North solar project in Texas, which has a capacity of 321 MW and spans 771 acres in Falls County. The project, constructed with an investment of $369 million, will support Meta’s data center operations in Texas and is expected to contribute over $40 million in property taxes over its lifetime. The project has already created approximately 300 construction jobs and will help increase the renewable energy capacity in the region.
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Los centros de datos de Meta obtendrán energía de un proyecto solar de 321 MW en Texas
Avangrid, a subsidiary of Iberdrola, announced the operation of its largest solar project, True North, in Texas. The 321 MW solar project spans 771 acres in Falls County and will support Meta’s data center operations in Texas. The project represents an investment of $369 million and is expected to contribute over $40 million in property taxes over its lifetime. True North is the seventh project by Avangrid in Texas, contributing to nearly 1.6 GW of combined capacity. Avangrid has over $2 billion of direct investment in Texas and created around 300 jobs during peak construction.
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Meta’s data centers to procure energy from 321 MW solar project in Texas
Avangrid, part of the Iberdrola Group, announced the operational launch of the 321 MW True North solar project in Falls County, Texas. This project occupies 1,907 acres and supports Meta’s data center operations. The commercial operation began in the first quarter of 2025, earlier than expected. Avangrid invested $369 million in this project, which is expected to generate over $40 million in property taxes over its lifespan.