Verrus, a data center developer backed by Alphabet spin-out Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners, is planning a facility outside Portland, Oregon.

Verrus this week launched a dedicated project website for Oakline at Mill Creek, a new data center development at the city of Salem’s Mill Creek Corporate Center in Marion County, some 45 miles south of Portland.

Full details haven’t been shared, but the company said the campus will consist of three buildings and a utility substation on 75 acres of land at the intersection of Turner Road SE and Deer Park Drive SE.

Local press reports the final capacity of the campus is yet to be finalized, but will start in the “dozens of megawatts.”

Full timelines on development haven’t been shared.

Verrus said the site will use a closed-loop cooling system to reduce water use and lithium iron phosphate battery storage for primary backup power to reduce emissions. The company also said the facility will dynamically reduce energy when the grid is most stressed via close coordination with utility partners such as Portland General Electric through its Stabiligrid technology.

“Unlike conventional data centers, Oakline is designed to support regional grid reliability, conserve water, operate quietly, and contribute to Salem as a responsible long-term neighbor from day one,” Verrus claims on its website.

Alphabet spin-out Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners launched Verrus in 2024. The company aims to develop grid-reactive data centers that can flex their energy use depending on the needs of the grid.

The company is known to also be targeting an 180-acre project outside Detroit in Lyon Township, Michigan, known as Project Flex.

Sidewalk Infrastructure Partners was formed out of Sidewalk Labs in 2019 as an independent entity out of Alphabet; it is also funded by the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTPP) and private infrastructure fund StepStone Group.

Reportedly in discussion since last year under the codename Project Gridline, Verrus says the new project in Oregon has support from SEDCOR (the Strategic Economic Development Corporation of Oregon) as a community economic development partner.

The city of Salem has said Verrus is yet to file a formal application for the $5 billion project, which would be the city’s first data center development.

The company said the project is being called Oakline in reference to the “oak trees and conservation areas we are committed to preserving on site, as well as the walking paths and trail connections planned within those preserved spaces.”

“Verrus’ proposal represents a potential opportunity for Salem. The City of Salem is committed to carefully evaluating the proposal and taking necessary steps to ensure it aligns with our community’s long-term interests,” said Krishna Namburi, Salem’s city manager. “As part of our normal processes, we will continue to evaluate the proposal’s economic benefits, infrastructure needs, environmental impacts, and overall community considerations. We are encouraged by Verrus’ interest in protecting the environment at the proposed site, creating high-paying jobs for our future, and contributing to a more diverse local economy. We will keep the community informed as the process moves forward.”

Mill Creek Corporate Center is a 600-acre master-planned campus to the south of Salem, featuring largely undeveloped land zoned for flex-space, manufacturing, warehousing, and offices.