November 30, 2005 — (WEB HOST INDUSTRY REVIEW) — It was reported on Monday that Internet company Yahoo! (yahoo.com) may be considering building a new data center facility within Grant County in Washington State. But the company would need a service commitment from the Grant County Public Utility District, according to officials.
Yahoo! reportedly wants PUD to commit “to providing fiber access for a long time” through its Zipp fiber optic network, which the PUD developed to provide broadband access to Grant County residents. In March, the PUD board of commissioners agreed on a “stand pat” position on the fiber system, preventing any new construction from being done.
A commitment with Yahoo! would require the PUD to maintain the fiber network in its current condition for about 20 years, as well as 15 to 20 megawatts of power to operate. Last week, one of Yahoo!’s founders visited the area, meeting with members of both the Grant County Economic Development Council and PUD senior staff.
“I don’t think it’s a secret they are thinking about coming here,” PUD general manager Tim Culbertson told the Columbia Basin Herald. “I think they’re a long ways down the road on this.”
