Facebook users’ messages, likes, and photo uploads may at some point have (another) very tangible effect on Prineville, Oregon. It’s starting to look like Facebook – which is already building one data center near the city – could also build a second facility.
To be clear: nothing’s been confirmed, and no timeframe’s even been hinted at. But people have at least gone on the record.
Prineville City Manager Steve Forrester told John Letzing, "What they [Facebook] have indicated to us is they would like to continue with expansion, which would require a second building just like the one they just built."
Then Ken Patchett, who Facebook put in charge of the first data center, semi-confirmed, "If our business requires it, we’ve made the plans to do that."
Facebook’s been on something of a data center spree since early last year. First it announced the Prineville data center. Later, the company decided to double the facility’s size. Then in November, it committed to building a data center in Forest City, North Carolina, as well.
So we’ll keep an eye out for announcements regarding a second groundbreaking in Prineville. With the 120 or so acres Facebook owns in the area, the company could definitely make something happen.