The Data Center Debate

By state

Data centers in Oregon

116 data centers and projects on our map in Oregon, including 5 projects we track in detail. Each one links to its source. Below: where they are by county, the projects in the news, and the latest reporting from both sides.

113existing and up and running 0under construction 1proposed 2blocked, paused or withdrawn

See Oregon on the map. Existing facilities come from OpenStreetMap, a community-maintained public map that is incomplete; proposed, under construction and blocked projects are tracked one by one from news, filings and official records.

Projects in the news

Blocked, paused or withdrawn 120 day moratorium adopted 2026-09-22, in effect through 2027-01-19

City of Salem Data Center Moratorium

Salem, Marion County

announced 2026-09-22

The Salem City Council gave final approval to a four month moratorium on data center applications while a city task force studies rules. The city attorney has stated the pause blocks the pending Verrus data center project from receiving approvals until the moratorium expires.

Issues raised: opposition, zoning, power, water

Source: KPTV, 2026-09-22 · On the map

Blocked, paused or withdrawn City council passed a 120-day moratorium on new data center applications on Sept 15, 2026.

City of Woodburn Data Center Moratorium

Woodburn, Marion

announced 2026-09-15

Woodburn joined Hillsboro in freezing new data center review while staff draft zoning, water, energy and noise standards. No applications were pending in the city at the time of the vote.

Issues raised: zoning, power, water, noise, opposition

Source: KPTV, 2026-09-15 · On the map

Proposed First reading advanced 2026-10-07; second reading set for 2026-10-20

Hillsboro Data Center Zoning Restrictions

Hillsboro, Washington

announced 2026-10-07

Hillsboro's council advanced permanent restrictions limiting new standalone data centers mostly to Industrial Park and Industrial Sanctuary zones, with cumulative acreage caps of 215 and 310 acres and a 1,000 foot buffer from schools. The city is also under a 120 day land use moratorium that expires in November.

Issues raised: power, water, zoning, character

Source: Your Oregon News, 2026-10-08 · On the map

Operating Operating since 2006, additional building completed 2025

Google The Dalles Data Center

The Dalles, Wasco County · Operator: Google

Google's first purpose built data center opened in The Dalles in 2006 and has grown through several phases, with a new building completed in 2025. The site is the best known US example of a water use fight, since the campus accounts for a large share of the city's municipal water and the city is now seeking additional supply from the Mount Hood national forest.

Issues raised: water, power, tax-incentives, opposition

Source: Oregon Public Broadcasting, 2026-01-15 · On the map

Operating Operating since 2011, campus has roughly doubled in size

Meta Prineville Data Center

Prineville, Crook County · Operator: Meta

Meta's first owned data center opened in Prineville in 2011 and has grown to a multi million square foot campus cooled mainly with outside air plus supplemental evaporative cooling. Prineville officials have said they want stronger community benefits and water commitments from any future data center agreement, and Meta and Apple helped fund a city water storage system.

Issues raised: water, power, tax-incentives, jobs

Source: The Source Weekly · On the map

By county

  • Crook County 1 on the map
    Meta Prineville Data Center
  • Marion 1 on the map
    City of Woodburn Data Center Moratorium
  • Marion County 1 on the map
    City of Salem Data Center Moratorium
  • Wasco County 1 on the map
    Google The Dalles Data Center
  • Washington 1 on the map
    Hillsboro Data Center Zoning Restrictions

Latest news from Oregon

Supports the case against local October 8, 2026

Hillsboro advances first permanent data center restrictions

Hillsboro's City Council advanced an ordinance that would limit new standalone data centers mostly to Industrial Park and Industrial Sanctuary zones, cap acreage, require public hearings and set a 1,000 foot buffer from schools. A second reading and possible final vote are set for October 20. The city's 120 day land use moratorium otherwise expires in November.

Your Oregon News Siting, zoning and standards Local opposition and consent

Check it: If the final vote slips past the moratorium's expiration, new applications could be filed in the gap.

Supports the case against policy September 23, 2026

Pacific Power agrees to charge new Oregon data centers for their own energy costs

Pacific Power settled with Oregon PUC staff, the Citizens' Utility Board and advocacy groups on a rate structure that would directly assign the costs of new energy projects tied to future data centers to those operators, implementing the state's POWER Act. The plan is scheduled for Oregon PUC consideration in October with a target order date of November 13 and rates effective January 1, 2027. Supporters argue this stops cross subsidization by residential customers; industry may raise concerns about competitiveness.

Oregon Capital Chronicle Who pays for the grid buildout Capacity prices and grid costs Laws, bills and regulation

Check it: Whether the Oregon PUC formally approves the settlement in November and how it applies to existing versus new data centers.

Supports the case against local September 22, 2026

Salem, Oregon adopts 120 day moratorium on new data centers

The Salem City Council gave final approval to a 120 day moratorium in a special session, pausing all data center applications until January 19, 2027 while a city task force studies regulation. Councilors kept an option to extend the pause by up to six months.

KPTV Local opposition and consent Siting, zoning and standards Laws, bills and regulation

Check it: The city attorney has said the pause blocks the pending Verrus data center application, but the developer could challenge whether the ordinance applies retroactively.

Supports the case against local September 15, 2026

Woodburn, Oregon City Council passes 120-day moratorium on new data center projects

The Woodburn City Council unanimously approved a four-month pause on accepting, reviewing or approving new data storage and IT facility applications while staff study zoning, utilities, water, energy and noise impacts. No data center applications are currently pending in the city, and the move follows Hillsboro's similar 120-day pause and a state land pause ordered by Governor Tina Kotek earlier in September.

KPTV Local opposition and consent Siting, zoning and standards

Check it: The moratorium is 120 days and does not cover other industrial projects; it is a study pause, not a permanent ban.

Weighing it up

For the arguments behind these fights, see the case for data centers, the case against, and the questions people ask, each answered from both sides.