Apple Begins Construction on First Phase of Oregon Data Center

The Oregonian reports (via Wired) that Apple has begun construction on the $68 million first phase of its data center project in Prineville, Oregon. The first phase will see the construction of one of two 338,000 square foot buildings planned for the site, but that building will apparently only be partially fitted out for the time being.

The price tag covers the cost of one building and two "data halls" inside. Plans filed with the city and Crook County last summer call for adding a second building and, eventually, 14 more data halls.

There's additional space on the property for more buildings, identified in planning documents in two sections marked "Future Development Area."

Soon after purchasing the data center site in February of this year, Apple opened a 10,000 square foot modular data center to establish a presence there, but with permanent construction now underway Apple's longer-term vision is starting to play out.

apple data center wind hydro
Apple has been rapidly expanding its data center capacity at sites around the United States, expanding beyond the company's long-standing sites at its corporate headquarters in Cupertino, California and nearby Newark with a massive new facility in Maiden, North Carolina and now starting to bring its Prineville site online. The company has also announced plans for a data center outside of Reno, Nevada.

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.4 and iOS 27 Features Revealed in New Leak

Friday December 12, 2025 10:56 am PST by
Macworld's Filipe Espósito today revealed a handful of features that Apple is allegedly planning for iOS 26.4, iOS 27, and even iOS 28. The report said the features are referenced within the code for a leaked internal build of iOS 26 that is not meant to be seen by the public. However, it appears that Espósito and/or his sources managed to gain access to it, providing us with a sneak peek...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Coming Soon With These 8 New Features on Your iPhone

Thursday December 11, 2025 8:49 am PST by
Apple seeded the second iOS 26.2 Release Candidate to developers earlier this week, meaning the update will be released to the general public very soon. Apple confirmed iOS 26.2 would be released in December, but it did not provide a specific date. We expect the update to be released by early next week. iOS 26.2 includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, such as a new...
iOS 26

Apple Releases iOS 26.2 With Alarms for Reminders, Lock Screen Changes, Enhanced Safety Alerts and More

Friday December 12, 2025 10:10 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 26.2, the second major update to the iOS 26 operating system that came out in September, iOS 26.2 comes a little over a month after iOS 26.1 launched. ‌iOS 26‌.2 is compatible with the ‌iPhone‌ 11 series and later, as well as the second-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones over-the-air by going to Settings >...
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3

Thursday December 11, 2025 11:28 am PST by
Apple today released new firmware designed for the AirPods Pro 3 and the prior-generation AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods Pro 3 firmware is 8B30, up from 8B25, while the AirPods Pro 2 firmware is 8B28, up from 8B21. There's no word on what's include in the updated firmware, but the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3 are getting expanded support for Live Translation in the European Union in iOS...
macOS Tahoe 26 Thumb

Apple Releases macOS Tahoe 26.2 With Edge Light

Friday December 12, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Apple today released macOS Tahoe 26.2, the second major update to the macOS Tahoe operating system that came out in September. macOS Tahoe 26.2 comes five weeks after Apple released macOS Tahoe 26.1. Mac users can download the macOS Tahoe update by using the Software Update section of System Settings. macOS Tahoe 26.2 includes Edge Light, a feature that illuminates your face with soft...
AirTag 2 Mock Feature

Apple AirTag 2: Four New Features Found in iOS 26 Code

Thursday December 11, 2025 10:31 am PST by
The AirTag 2 will include a handful of new features that will improve tracking capabilities, according to a new report from Macworld. The site says that it was able to access an internal build of iOS 26, which includes references to multiple unreleased products. Here's what's supposedly coming: An improved pairing process, though no details were provided. AirTag pairing is already...
ipados 26 1 slide over

Apple Releases iPadOS 26.2 With Multitasking Improvements

Friday December 12, 2025 10:09 am PST by
Apple today released iPadOS 26.2, the second major update to the iPadOS 26 operating system released in September. iPadOS 26.2 comes a month after iPadOS 26.1. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. iPadOS 26.2 continues with the multitasking improvements that were added with iPadOS 26.1. You can now drag and...
bug security vulnerability issue fix larry

Update Now: iOS 26.2 Fixes 20+ Security Vulnerabilities

Friday December 12, 2025 11:11 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 26.2, iPadOS 26.2, and macOS 26.2, all of which introduce new features, bug fixes, and security improvements. Apple says that the updates address over 20 vulnerabilities, including two bugs that are known to have been actively exploited. There are a pair of WebKit vulnerabilities that could allow maliciously crafted web content to execute code or cause memory...

Top Rated Comments

GenesisST Avatar
172 months ago
How can you say that with no info available.

Well, he did post a link.

But still a dick measuring contest.

Who cares who's the best? As long as both (and other companies) make a conscious effort to be energy efficient, we all win. (and as long as it is a real effort and not a PR ploy).
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MacVault Avatar
172 months ago
You wonder how efficient Apple's DC will be but already know Google wins?! ;)
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
everything-i Avatar
172 months ago
How can you say that with no info available.

Don't feed the trolls ;)
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Solomani Avatar
172 months ago

Who cares who's the best? As long as both (and other companies) make a conscious effort to be energy efficient, we all win. (and as long as it is a real effort and not a PR ploy).

Ah, you are the voice of reason on this thread. Posts like yours do not belong on MR. :D
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
subsonix Avatar
172 months ago
Wow..

Wonder how energy effient it will be..... Google wins hands down here :-

How can you say that with no info available.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cluedweasel Avatar
172 months ago
I see they know that Oregon = Rain.

Nope. Here in the high desert (I live about 15 miles west of Prineville), it's a very dry climate. We run around 9 inches of rain per year. The big draw for data centers is that it always cools off a lot at night, year round. Even on 90F+ summer days, the temperature drops into the 40s at night.
Score: 1 Votes (Like | Disagree)