Apple will be spending $2 billion over the course of 10 years to convert GT Advanced’s failed sapphire plant in Mesa, Arizona into a datacenter, according to an official announcement. The company claims that the project is “one of the largest” investments it has ever made, and should add over 600 engineering and construction jobs to the area, though the facility will only have 150 permanent workers. It’s also promising to use entirely renewable power, “much” of which will come from a future 70MW solar farm it’s building.
Construction is due to start by late 2016, possibly earlier. GT-operated furnaces in the plant are being stored and will eventually be liquidated, something which is temporarily delaying any use of the facility.
Apple and GT originally collaborated on the plant in 2013 with the hope of using sapphire in products like iPhones. GT suddenly declared bankruptcy in October 2014 however, and the two parties have fought in the aftermath, with GT accusing Apple of pulling a “bait-and-switch strategy” in its contract terms, and the latter denying any wrongdoing. Apple promised to find another use for the plant, and help the 600-plus GT workers who lost their jobs.
