Amazon plans third data center complex near Hermiston

PENDLETON, Ore. (AP) – Amazon is proposing to build a third data complex west of Hermiston consisting of four data centers.

The East Oregonian reports (https://goo.gl/1JgU92) that the Seattle-based e-commerce giant recently bought 120 acres of land next to the Hermiston Generating Plant. It already operates two server farms in eastern Oregon.

Amazon, doing business through a holding company called Vadata, has continued to expand at Port of Umatilla and Port of Morrow sites along the Columbia River. The buildings are home to racks of computer servers that host everything from email to streaming movies.

According to Vadata’s Jim Footh, the company needs to build multiple data center campuses to provide a backup in case one center goes down.

The Umatilla County Board of Commissioners must first approve rezoning the proposed site from farm use to light industrial. A public hearing on that issue is scheduled Thursday night.