Washington Data Center Intel

Recent Washington data center news

• Jun 24, 2026

  20MW data center proposed in Starbucks' Seattle HQ building in Washington

  Colossus Data Center Advisors has filed an application to develop a sub-20MW data center at 2401 Utah Ave. S (the Starbucks Center) in Seattle.

  • Project filing: Colossus submitted a conceptual site plan to the City of Seattle proposing a sub-20MW data center that would occupy 20,000 sq ft in a six-story portion and 25,600 sq ft in the nine-story main building of the Starbucks Center at 2401 Utah Ave. S; no tenant has been secured and the submission was described as a feasibility gauge.
  • Background and context: The space is a former Amazon Fresh retail/distribution site (Amazon exited ~2024); the Starbucks Center totals 1.8 million sq ft and is owned by Nitze‑Stagen & Co. The proposed 20MW size would sit below Seattle’s newly introduced data center moratorium threshold; Colossus did not respond to press requests and has previously pursued (and dropped) other regional projects.
• Jun 12, 2026

  Amazon claims its data centers are 7x more water-efficient than the industry average

  Amazon has published new water-efficiency figures for its global data center operations, positioning the company ahead of rivals on WUE and disclosing methods and regional practices.

  • Main announcement: Amazon says it achieved a 52% improvement in water efficiency over the last 5 years, reporting a WUE of 0.12 L/kWh in 2025 (compared with an industry average of 0.84 L/kWh), claims its data centers are 7x more water-efficient than the industry average, and reports returning 3 US gallons to communities for every 4 gallons used, stating it is 75% of the way to a water-positive 2030 goal. It attributes gains to free air cooling (~90% of the time), evaporative cooling, raised operating temperature thresholds (85° F), and use of reclaimed water across 130 facilities (26 using reclaimed water exclusively).
  • Context and background: The figures were published amid increased disclosure pressure and two days after Seattle imposed a one-year freeze on new large data centers citing water concerns; the article references competitor WUE figures (Microsoft 0.27 L/kWh in 2025, Google ~1.15 L/kWh, Meta ~0.20 L/kWh) and highlights industry discussion on metrics (WUE, PUE ~1.15 for Amazon), regional disclosure commitments, and emerging dynamics due to AI infrastructure and location-specific water constraints.
• Jun 9, 2026

  From Tail Risk to Design Baseline: How the Grid Is Adapting to Extreme Heat

  POWER (Sonal Patel) reports that system planners and grid operators are now treating extreme heat as an assumed operating condition rather than a tail risk.

  • Main announcement/action: POWER summarizes that system planners and reliability entities (notably NERC and FERC) and operators are treating extreme heat as a design baseline, citing metrics such as EIA projection of ~1,610 CDDs for 2026 (4% above 2025), NERC’s 2026 Summer Reliability Assessment (net internal demand up 1.3% to 790 GW, and >58 GW of new on-peak capacity including 16.4 GW solar, 14.7 GW batteries, 6.7 GW natural gas, 1.6 GW wind), and FERC’s forecast of $46.81/MWh average wholesale price for summer 2026. The piece catalogues operational changes (hourly ambient-adjusted transmission ratings, dynamic line ratings pilots, ADMS/DERMS deployments) and emergency interventions (DOE Section 202(c) orders covering roughly 4,400 MW of extended capacity service).
  • Background and details: The article documents drought risks (FERC: 62% of continental U.S. impacted; Lake Powell inflow forecast at 13% of average), potential loss of up to 4,500 MW of Colorado River hydropower as soon as August 2026, rapid data center load growth (from 44 GW in 2025 to 55 GW in 2026, ~25%), and operational timelines (PJM implemented AAR on March 4, 2026; SPP expects AAR by Sept. 1, 2026; MISO full compliance by Q2 2028).
• Jun 7, 2026

  George Tronsrue: America’s Arctic Blind Spot

  Quintillion has built a U.S.-controlled High-Latitude Data Acquisition platform (HiLDA) in Utqiaġvik and its CEO is urging immediate federal investment and integration of Arctic ground-station capacity into national defense planning.

  • Main action: Quintillion completed the world’s northernmost commercial satellite ground station on American soil, the High-Latitude Data Acquisition platform (HiLDA), in Utqiaġvik in 2021; the CEO calls for federal attention, investment, and integration into national defense planning now to create U.S. redundancy for polar-orbiting satellite communications.
  • Background and details: The article documents nearly three decades of U.S. reliance on the Svalbard Satellite Station (Norway), cites the Pentagon on rising Russian and Chinese Arctic activity, and notes HiLDA links directly to major cloud and internet exchange hubs in Seattle and Portland, is supported by triple-redundant fiber connectivity and high-capacity, low latency satellite backhaul, and emphasizes Alaska’s nine military installations and missile defense dependence on instantaneous communications.
• Jun 3, 2026

  Data Center Jobs: Engineering, Construction, Commissioning, Sales, Field Service and Facility Tech Jobs Available in Major Data Center Hotspots

  Data Center Frontier, in partnership with Pkaza, posts the latest data center career opportunities on its jobs board.

  • Main announcement: Data Center Frontier and Pkaza have published a roundup of active data center job openings covering roles such as Mechanical Applications Engineer, Electrical Commissioning Engineer, Project Coordinator, Architect Design Manager, Electrical Project Manager, Commissioning Project Manager, Controls PM, Facility Operations Director, Project Executive (Owner’s Rep), and other critical-facilities positions across multiple U.S. locations (examples include Pittsburgh, PA; New Albany, OH; Ashburn, VA; Charlotte, NC; Denver, CO; Naperville, IL). Many roles note remote, traveling, or multiple-city availability and relocation options where specified.
  • Background / details: This is a recurring/monthly jobs-posting series powered by Pkaza Critical Facilities Recruiting and the Data Center Frontier jobs board; listings emphasise employer needs for MEP/critical facilities design, commissioning, mission-critical power and cooling expertise, energy efficiency and LEED experience, and include travel/remote work options and multiple-site listings for several roles. No monetary values, contract amounts, or deal announcements are included.
• Jun 2, 2026

  Climate Change Solutions - June 2, 2026

  EESI announced its new analysis of bipartisanship on climate and energy in the 119th Congress and is hosting its 29th annual Congressional Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency EXPO on June 24.

  • Main announcement: EESI released a new analysis of bipartisanship on environmental, energy, and climate bills (analysis covers January–March 2026) and is convening EXPO 2026 on June 24, 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m., Rayburn House Office Building (Gold Room and Foyer) and online (reception 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.); event is free and open to the public with RSVP available.
  • Additional details / context: The newsletter summarizes congressional activity including the House Appropriations Committee advancing the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2027 (H.R.9022), multiple geothermal bills advanced by the House Committee on Natural Resources (e.g., Geo Act H.R.301, H.R.398, H.R.1077, H.R.1687, H.R.5617, H.R.5631, H.R.5638), introduction and markup of the BUILD America 250 Act (H.R.8870), and the Community Flood Resilience Act (H.R.9056) introduced by Reps. Andrew Garbarino and Gregory Meeks.
• Jun 1, 2026 · Information Technology and Innovation Foundation

  Targeted Pressure: How Chinese Manufacturing Competition Impacts US States

  The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) has published a report finding Chinese industrial policy is reshaping global manufacturing and harming industries across every U.S. state.

  • Main finding & method: The ITIF report (June 1, 2026) analyzes one “national power industry” per state using County Business Patterns employment data, HS/SITC export proxies, and global market-share series to conclude that state-backed Chinese subsidies, export pushes, and overcapacity are driving down prices and pressuring U.S. producers in sectors such as semiconductors, batteries, aircraft, and fabricated metals.
  • Key facts, numbers, and timelines:China plans ~$150 billion in semiconductor investment through 2030 vs. $52 billion under the U.S. CHIPS funding; the report cites $63.3 billion Chinese semiconductor spending in H1 2025, TSMC’s $165 billion U.S. investment announcement, GE Appliances’ $490 million Appliance Park investment (2025), and state/national export shares and HS-code trade series used throughout the analyses.
• May 27, 2026

  US energy storage installations hit Q1 record, up 32% year over year: SEIA

  SEIA reported record 9.7 GWh of battery energy storage installed in Q1 2026.

  • Main announcement: SEIA said the U.S. installed 9.7 GWh of battery energy storage in Q1 2026 (a 32% YoY increase), with commercial & industrial 648 MWh, utility-scale 1.5 GW / 7.8 GWh, and residential 515 MWh; Benchmark Mineral Intelligence (for SEIA) forecasts 613 GWh of U.S. storage deployment by 2030.
  • Background and details: SEIA and Benchmark highlighted data centers as a major driver (example: Meta + Enbridge will build 365 MW solar colocated with 200 MW / 1.6 GWh of Tesla batteries to support a Cheyenne, WY data center with 8-hour discharge capability); SEIA also flagged 101 GW of clean projects under political threat and said 36% of projects due by 2030 could be affected; 13 states have storage targets and cumulative deployment leaders include California 60.6 GWh, Texas 29.2 GWh, Arizona 20.2 GWh.
• May 26, 2026

  Amazon, Two Local ISPs Back Out of BEAD in Nebraska

  The Nebraska Broadband Office has announced it is reopening bidding for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program.

  • Reopening action: The Nebraska Broadband Office (NBO) will reopen bidding after some tentative grant winners refused to sign contracts; NBO said it will publish a new map outlining 1,735 remaining eligible locationsin the coming weeks.
  • Process and goals: NBO said the new round aims to promote competition between internet providers with a focus on quality and end-user experience; the announcement was made in a Friday release and includes a public map update timeline (coming weeks).
• May 22, 2026

  PFAS phase-out and liquid cooling: What US data center operators must do now

  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has designated PFAS as “forever chemicals” and under TSCA has delayed but maintained reporting requirements, with the reporting deadline pushed to January 31, 2027.

  • Main announcement: The EPA/TSCA reporting requirement for PFAS use affects data center operators who must report PFAS use once requirements take effect; the EPA has extended the reporting deadline to January 31, 2027 after three prior extensions. The article frames this as a compliance shift that is already halting growth in two-phase immersion cooling and encouraging migration to PFAS-free options.
  • Background and details: The piece notes 3M has phased out Novec, several U.S. states (New Jersey, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Washington) have reporting or ban plans, and market data shows single-phase DTC holds a 55% market share in 2026, using a 75% water / 25% glycol coolant; Schneider Electric (with Motivair) is promoting PFAS-free single-phase DTC solutions.