Amazon Buys 1.2 GW Solar Farm to Power Data Centers

Amazon just won a bankruptcy auction for one of the largest solar projects in the Pacific Northwest, signaling a new era in how tech companies secure renewable power. The company paid $83 million for the Sunstone project, a 1.2 gigawatt solar farm paired with equally massive battery storage in Oregon's Morrow County.

This deal breaks Amazon's usual playbook. Instead of signing power purchase agreements like most companies do, Amazon now owns the entire operation outright.

The project comes shovel-ready with all permits approved and environmental reviews complete. Construction starts in 2026, and when finished, the batteries will store enough electricity to power thousands of homes during peak demand periods.

Amazon needed this solution. The company has been hitting power constraints across the Pacific Northwest as it builds more data centers, even filing lawsuits against local utilities over supply issues.

Direct ownership solves that problem by giving Amazon a dedicated power source that doesn't depend on anyone else. The solar panels and batteries will feed electricity straight to Amazon's regional data centers on the company's own schedule.

The project's previous owner, Pine Gate Renewables, filed for bankruptcy protection after racking up $600 million in debt. High interest rates and delays connecting to the power grid pushed the developer into insolvency.

Amazon beat out Puget Sound Energy by just $1 million in the final auction. The sale proceeds will go toward paying off Pine Gate's secured creditors.

Amazon will partner with Gallatin Power Partners, the site's original developer, to finish the remaining construction phases. The battery system will provide 7,200 megawatt hours of storage capacity to help stabilize Oregon's grid when electricity demand spikes.

The Ripple Effect

This acquisition could reshape how tech giants approach their massive energy needs. As artificial intelligence and cloud computing demand more power, companies may follow Amazon's lead by buying renewable projects instead of just contracting for electricity.

The move also breathes new life into a stalled clean energy project. What could have been liquidated for parts will instead become a major source of carbon-free electricity for the region.

One company's crisis became another's opportunity to accelerate the clean energy transition.