Northtown Backup Generating Facility

The Northtown Backup Generating Facility is a 97.3 megawatt diesel-fired emergency power system designed to provide uninterrupted backup power exclusively to the Northtown Data Center in San José, California, without any connection to the transmission or distribution grid. Located on a 28.5-acre site at the southwest corner of West Trimble Road and Orchard Parkway on APNs 101-02-018 and 101-02-021, the facility will consist of 42 diesel generators—40 rated at 3 megawatts each and two smaller units at 1.75 megawatts—arranged in two generation yards adjacent to the data center buildings. Of the 3-megawatt units, eight are designated as redundant to ensure reliability. The two smaller generators will support office loads, building systems, and life safety services. The facility will include a new 115-kilovolt to 34.5-kilovolt, 110-megavolt-ampere electrical substation with a two-bay, two-transformer design, allowing one transformer to be taken offline without loss of service, effectively providing 105 megavolt-amperes of redundancy. On-site diesel fuel storage capacity is 234,000 gallons, and the generators will operate using renewable diesel fuel to minimize emissions and comply with sustainability mandates. The project is subject to comprehensive environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act and requires permits from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, the City of San José, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the Federal Aviation Administration for structure height compliance. It must also participate in San José Clean Energy’s Total Green program to ensure 100 percent carbon-free electricity use. The California Energy Commission is the lead agency overseeing the project and has determined it qualifies for an exemption under Public Resources Code §25541. All generators must meet Tier 4 emissions standards with controls for nitrogen oxides and diesel particulate matter. Environmental mitigation measures include noise reduction, wildfire risk management, and protection of biological and cultural resources, with preconstruction surveys mandated. The project is currently in the environmental review phase, with a public comment period scheduled from July 21 to August 20, 2026. No procurement or contract pricing details are available, and while the project is not governed by federal acquisition regulations, compliance with state and local environmental, zoning, and safety codes