Apple was claimed Saturday to be considering another major datacenter in Prineville, Oregon. The iPhone maker was reported by sources for The Oregonian as exploring the possibility of a 160-acre location that would be roughly a quarter-mile away from Facebook’s own northern servers and in the same general area as Amazon and Google. It had even had staff on Facebook’s premises as of last summer, the tips maintained.
The Cupertino firm might be going under a fake name, Maverick, to avoid giving away its plans too quickly. It may have to decide quickly, since it hasn’t asked for an extension on a deadline for buying the land.
Whether or not it goes ahead may be based on practical concerns. A launch is reportedly “in flux” as Apple learns whether or not it can get enough power in a Prineville location. The local utility company, the Bonneville Power Administration, has been working to increase capacity in the area for June 2013, although this isn’t likely directly connected to Apple. Most larger datacenters consume dozens of megawatts.
Apple hasn’t confirmed any plans.
