GCRE extends Energy and Data Centre Partner opportunity
Author: Joe Peck
The Global Centre of Rail Excellence (GCRE) has extended its competition to secure an Energy and Data Centre Partner (EDCP) for its 700-hectare site.
GCRE is a new, purpose-built facility being developed in South West Wales for international rail research, testing, and net zero technology development. The GCRE site has the potential to become Europe’s leading cluster for rail innovation.
In September last year, the company began its search for a partner to develop Renewable Energy Sources (RES) and a data centre (DC) on the site, a former open cast mine equivalent to the size of Gatwick Airport. The plan is for the partner to develop the assets alongside the rail project.
Chief Executive Simon Jones notes that ‘significant’ interest had been expressed in the site from developers in the energy and data centre sectors, but confirmed that bidders had requested more time to develop comprehensive proposals for the site.
GCRE has therefore decided to extend its search for a partner into 2026, with a revised EDCP Invitation to Tender (ITT) available on the Sell to Wales platform.
Potential bidders can register their interest in the opportunity, by completing a ‘Conditions of Participation’ document, which runs from now until 12 noon on 10th March 2026.
Opportunities in an emerging data centre region
The site is only 30km from Bridgend and 50km from Cardiff, where data centre clusters are already forming.
GCRE Chief Executive Simon Jones explains, “The last few weeks have been very encouraging as we have seen the significant interest there is from the commercial market in the GCRE site as a location for high-quality renewable energy and data centre infrastructure.
“What’s clear, however, is that more time is needed for bidders to develop their proposals. It has meant that we have taken the decision as a company to extend our partner search and give everyone in the market more time to put forward proposals.
“That is why we have issued a new ITT with an extended timeline to allow that interest to crystalise into firm proposals. We had originally hoped to appoint a partner by the end of the current Senedd term, but that has not been possible and so we have extended the time available into 2026.
“The opportunity for a long-term partnership with GCRE is a unique one. The GCRE site’s size, power grid, and telecoms connectivity make it very appealing for the development of renewable energy assets and data centre infrastructure. 132kV and 400kV power lines cross over the GCRE site, with high-quality fibre connectivity being progressed for the area.
“It’s right that we take time to find the correct partner. Energy and data centre infrastructure at GCRE will help raise the economic profile of the site, something that is very important as we continue our search for private investment for the rail project.”
The EDCP competition is being developed in parallel with GCRE’s separate search for private investment for the railway.
Simon continues, “We have seen in recent months the important ways in which the energy and AI policy landscape is developing fast. The UK is seeking to harness the opportunities of net zero transition and AI by developing the infrastructure needed to support it.
“This region is at the forefront of that change. Just recently, South Wales was designated as a new AI Growth Zone by the UK Government.
“GCRE and the modern energy and data infrastructure we can build on the site is one of those opportunities and it’s something we believe we can use as a platform for new green jobs around an international rail cluster.”
