The 45-Mile hydropower project was being developed by EBD Hydro LLC. However, in December 2013, representatives of Apple reached out to EBD, informing the company they'd like to acquire the project.
"Our goal is to power every facility at Apple entirely with energy from renewable sources -- solar, wind, hydro and geothermal," the California-based company said. "So we're investing in our own onsite energy production, establishing relationships with supplies to procure renewable energy off the grid, and reducing our energy needs even as our employee base grows."
Prior to Apple's involvement, the project received a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy and Department of the Interior, and a $7.2 million loan from the Oregon Energy Department's State Energy Loan Program.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued EBD Hydro a conduit exemption from licensing for 45-Mile in 2010. Once completed, it is expected to generate 3 to 5 MW of power using irrigation water diverted from the Deschutes and Crooked rivers.
The project includes a proposed intake structure, 2,700-foot-long, 96-inch-diameter penstock, and powerhouse with one turbine-generator. The total cost of the project was previously estimated to be about $15 million.
Apple has said its nearby data center will powered using a combination of hydro, wind, solar, and geothermal power.
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