The Prineville Planning Commission on Tuesday approved Apple’s application to build a substation at its 160-acre data center site.
The substation will divert electricity to power two data center facilities Apple plans to build in Prineville, said city planner Joshua Smith.
Using the codename “Project Pillar," Apple applied to the city last month to build server farms that will include more than 500,000 square-feet of data halls.
The city’s planning staff could approve Apple’s application in the next few weeks, Smith said.
While the buildings can be approved by staff, utilities like the substation require a public hearing because they often include tall power poles and other structures that can obstruct views and concern residents, Smith said.
Apple’s substation has no structures taller than 50 feet and is thousands of feet from roads or residences, according to the company’s application.
