Mega AI Data Center Zone
Hillsboro, Oregon major location for AI Data Centers and AI chip research and development and manufacturing.
Hillsboro tech hub is 30 km west-northwest of Portland, Oregon. The hub has over 100,000 population as of 2020 census.
The recent tech boom has sent acreage prices in Hillsboro from 1/4 of million to over 1 million per acre. And the high energy demand of AI Data Centers are pushing up local energy prices and straining the energy grid.
Intel has a massive plant complex in Hillsboro that focuses on research and development and manufacturing of AI chips/processors for AI Data Centers.
Currently according to the City of Hillsboro, Hillsboro has 21 constructed and permitted AI data centers: 16 active covering 346 acres, 5 permitted/under construction covering 124 acres, and 5 more centers planned covering 177 acres.
Hillsboro is an ideal location for these centers as it is a stopping point for submarine cables of fiber optic that connect throughout the Asia Pacific region.
4 main submarine fiber cables connect to Hillsboro:
Hawaiki Cable:
14,000 km length
Built 2018 July
Landing points: Australia, New Zealand, Hillsboro Oregon, Hawaii.
Tata TGN- Pacific Cable
22,300 km length
Built 2002 December
Landing Points: Guan, Japan, Hillsboro, Los Angeles.
North Star Cable
3,229 km length
Built 1999 October
Landing Points: Alaska, Hillsboro.
Southern Cross Cable Network
30,500 km length
Built 2000 November
Landing Spots: Australia, New Zealand, Hillsboro, Harris and Monro Bay California.
Fiber optics provide high speed transfer of data and reliable connectivity (low latency).
In addition, Hillsboro provides a renewable energy source utilizing in-pipe hydroelectricity (underground water pipeline that converts excess water pressure to electricity).
The AI Data Centers have a massive footprint as shown by these examples:
QTS has three data centers planned for Hillsboro with two already built:
Hillsboro 1: 25 acres and 20 MW power output.
Hillsboro 2: 51 acres and 180 MW power output.
Hillsboro 3 in development: 44 acres and 100 + power output.
The hyperscale AI Data Centers refer to 100 MW plus and focused cloud service and AI workloads.
NTT has Built the first of five AI data centers in Hillsboro: 138,000 square feet center with 36 MW power output. The total MW power output of NTT’s centers in Hillsboro will reach 126 MW power output.
The breadth of the AI data center development in Hillsboro should raise concerns as to the direction of society, not to mention the impact on local residents from increase in energy prices, drain on local water supply, and noise pollution including infrasound. Note, local residents benefit in terms of employment only primarily in the construction phase of development.
Cloud services primarily involves storage of data and AI workloads refers to the processing of data potentially in real-time.
EmergingGlobalRealities.com
This is what Albertans have to look forward to! One of the largest AI data centers! No thanks!
No wonder the residents of Hillsboro have been crowding into the city council and the county meetings. It hasn’t done any good though. Our government doesn’t work for us anymore.☹️ They are self-serving.