Underwater fiber optic cable proposed for Microsoft, possibly others

Aug 31, 2023

This map shows an overview of the fiber optic cable between East Wenatchee and Rock Island Dam.

EAST WENATCHEE — Intermountain Infrastructure Group (IIG) wants to submerge a 1-inch, 75,000-foot-long fiber optic cable in the Columbia River — from East Wenatchee to Rock Island Dam — to connect Microsoft's data centers in the Wenatchee Valley, according to documents.

The 466-page application for a "shoreline substantial development permit for a regional submerged fiber optic line" was submitted to Douglas County Transportation and Land Services Sept. 9, and posted on the agency's website.

The California-based telecommunications firm would own the cable, said Jeff Yount, IIG CEO. He said it will serve multiple purposes and run "right past" Microsoft's data centers.

He also said Microsoft needs to connect its facilities wherever it builds, but he "was not at liberty to discuss" whether IIG was working with Microsoft.

"We (IIG) just applied to see if this is going to work," he said of the project.

The application states:

"This project is part of a secure and diverse fiber optic network between East Wenatchee and Rock Island Dam designed to service high availability data centers within the community. There are 2 diverse fiber networks between the data centers. The 2 proposed marine fiber cables will make up a significant portion of the routes. The end customer for the network is Microsoft Corporation... The purpose of this project is to deliver a method of reliable, fast-paced data transfer between local Microsoft Corporation data centers in the area."

Microsoft did not respond to inquiries by press time.

A public comment period on the application began Sept. 9 and ends Oct. 10.

Visit www.douglascountywa.net/271/Land-Services to view the document.

Douglas County, the lead agency, has issued a Mitigated Determination of Nonsignificance (MDNS) on the project, which includes measures to make sure construction protects fish and their aquatic habit. The comment period on the determination ends Sept. 23.

If approved, the $4.9 million project will start Oct. 1 and end Nov. 15, according to the application.

The project includes laying 32,562 feet of "environmentally benign 288-count" marine fiber cable on the river bottom between 3220 S.E. Rivers Edge Court, in East Wenatchee and Rock Island Dam Chelan County PUD property. Microsoft is building a data center in Malaga and near Pangborn Memorial Airport. It already has one in Quincy.

Another 37,437 feet of the cable will run underwater, between Kirby Billingsley Hydro Park (1682 Highway 28) and the Rock Island Dam.

The underwater project includes:

British Columbia-based Telecommunications firm Baylink Networks Inc. is responsible for permitting the land section from the vault to the nearest road or place of extension.

The project has to get the go-ahead from agencies:

British Columbia-based Blue Otter Consulting Inc. will handle an Environmental Management Plan (EMP).

The project area is "in the vicinity" of a plethora of wildlife, including species listed under the federal Endangered Species Act: coho salmon, steelhead trout, Chinook salmon, bull trout, Columbia Basin pygmy rabbit, grizzly bear, yellow-billed cuckoo, and gray wolf, documents stated.

The project included numerous pages of possible impacted species, with plans to disturb the habitats and wildlife as little as possible.

Fish spawning and incubation weren't likely within the project's scope "due to the high velocity of water and alternating depth" due to being near the Rock Island Hydro-Electric Dam, it stated.

"An environmental monitor (EM) will be onsite during construction ... at all times to observe for the presence of populated fish migrations. If such occurrences are observed, a stop work order will be implemented. Work will not proceed until such activities have ceased."

WDFW has seen the proposal.

"Based on our preliminary review of the project, we anticipate construction will avoid disturbance of juvenile fish and spawning habitat, given that the construction locations are fully isolated from the water during construction," wrote Eryn Couch, WDFW communications manager, in an email. "Our biologists will continue to review to project through final design to ensure any impacts to fish life are addressed appropriately."

Emily Thornton: (509) 861-2174

[email protected] or

on Twitter @EmilyK_Thornton

WENATCHEE — Those wishing to see the new Microsoft data center north of Pangborn Memorial Airport might soon get a chance.

Feel free to reach out to me with story ideas at 509-861-2174, [email protected] or on Twitter @EmilyK_Thornton.