Data Centre Projects: Infrastructure Builds, Innovations & Updates

1.5GW Utah data centre receives planning approval

Pronghorn Development, a Utah-headquartered infrastructure firm, has secured a conditional use permit (CUP) to develop the 1.5GW Antelope Data Campus in Iron County, Utah. The approval allows the infrastructure developer to move forward with plans for the large-scale data centre campus, which the company says is intended to support future technology infrastructure requirements while contributing to local economic development. According to Pronghorn Development, the project has been shaped through consultation with residents, landowners, agricultural stakeholders, and community representatives over the past year. The company says feedback gathered during the engagement process has influenced elements of the project's operational plans and development approach. Project expected to deliver jobs and investment Pronghorn Development states that the multi-phase development is expected to generate significant economic activity within Iron County, including construction employment, permanent operational roles, and additional tax revenue. The company has worked in the region for two decades through the development of energy infrastructure projects and says its local experience has informed the planning of the Antelope Data Campus. Scott Cuthbertson, a spokesperson for Pronghorn Development, comments, "Securing this permit validates the trust we’ve built with our neighbors in Iron County. We are incredibly grateful for the open dialogue and collaborative spirit that has shaped the Antelope Data Campus. "Moving forward, we remain committed to listening to the community, acting as responsible environmental stewards, and driving economic prosperity here for decades to come." The company says the campus will incorporate water-efficient technologies and sustainable design measures intended to minimise environmental impact and align with local ecosystem preservation objectives. With the conditional use permit now secured, Pronghorn Development is expected to begin the next phase of the project and prepare the site for construction.

Global cities launch sustainable data centre pact

Cities from around the world have launched the Global Urban Data Centres Pact, a new initiative aimed at supporting sustainable data centre development in urban areas. Announced during London Climate Action Week, the pact brings together 38 cities across six continents, including London, Barcelona, Johannesburg, Miami, Melbourne, Phoenix, and Rio de Janeiro. The founding signatories represent a combined population of almost 90 million people. The agreement comes as demand for data centres continues to grow, driven in part by the expansion of artificial intelligence and digital services. City leaders say the pact is intended to help balance economic growth with concerns around energy use, water consumption, heat generation, and pressure on local infrastructure. The initiative sets out a framework for how cities, developers, investors, and operators can work together to support data centre growth whilst addressing environmental and community considerations. Cities seek sustainable approach to data centre growth Under the pact, signatories support data centres that are strategically integrated into cities, resource efficient, engaged with local communities, and capable of delivering wider economic benefits. The agreement also highlights examples of measures already being adopted in different regions, including heat reuse projects, water-conscious cooling systems, the use of renewable energy, and initiatives that direct investment towards local priorities. Kate Gallego, Mayor of Phoenix and Vice Chair of C40 Cities, says, "While data centres can power important advancements, rapid growth also brings important responsibilities. Residents expect local leaders to ensure development is planned carefully, infrastructure keeps pace, and surrounding communities share in the benefits." Nicholas Reece, Lord Mayor of Melbourne and Vice Chair of C40 Cities, adds, "Local communities should be involved in decisions that affect them, which means growth must be matched by responsible planning, sustainable resource use, and genuine community benefits." Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London and Co-Chair of C40 Cities, notes, "AI and digital infrastructure will play a major role in the future prosperity of cities around the world, but residents are right to expect growth to be managed responsibly." Additional support for the initiative has come from cities including Athens, Chicago, and Seattle, whose leaders highlighted the importance of managing the impacts of data centre development on energy systems, water resources, land use, and local communities. Framework developed ahead of continued sector growth According to the pact's organisers, global data centre capacity is expected to increase significantly over the coming decade, with much of that growth concentrated in urban areas. The agreement calls for greater collaboration between local authorities, national governments, and the private sector to ensure future data centre developments align with sustainability goals and community needs. Cristina Gamboa, CEO of the World Green Building Council, concludes, "Data centres are not just buildings; they are major, long-term consumers of critical urban resources, and the decisions being made today about these AI factories will shape local energy systems, water supplies, and communities for decades to come." Further city endorsements are expected ahead of COP31, as the initiative seeks to establish a shared approach to sustainable urban data centre development.

Green Horizon secures approval for Norway data centre

Green Horizon, a Norwegian developer of hydropower-backed, AI-ready data centres, has received planning approval for Norway 1, a 36MW data centre development near Stavanger that is scheduled to enter service in the second half of 2027. The approval follows the earlier granting of zoning permission for the site and allows the Norwegian developer to progress to final design and construction. The company is currently working with consultants and contractors ahead of a planned construction start later this year. Located on Norway's southwest coast, Norway 1 is being developed as a carrier-neutral and cloud-neutral facility designed to provide connectivity to the UK, mainland Europe, and onward routes to North America. The facility will be built to Tier III standards and is designed to support high-density AI, GPU, and high-performance computing (HPC) workloads. Green Horizon says the site will include two 'Meet-Me Rooms', diverse connectivity options, and access to multiple network providers. Norway 1 forms the first phase of the company's wider data centre platform in the Stavanger region, where 96MW of power capacity has been secured across three planned developments. The company says the facility will be powered by renewable hydropower and is targeting a power usage effectiveness (PUE) rating of 1.1 at full load. Heat reuse strategy integrated into design A key element of the project is its heat reuse strategy. Green Horizon plans to supply excess heat generated by the data centre to both a new greenhouse that will be integrated into the facility's design and an existing commercial greenhouse located adjacent to the site. According to the company, the new greenhouse will be constructed directly above the data centre, enabling waste heat to be reused as part of a wider symbiosis partnership with Norway's largest greenhouse operator. The concept has been technically validated and approved by the local municipality. Operations at the site will be supported by CBRE, which will provide operational services and monitoring. Richard Rettedal, CEO of Green Horizon, comments, "Securing planning approval for Norway 1 marks a major milestone for Green Horizon and for our ambition to build Norway’s AI data centre platform. "Customers deploying AI and high-performance compute need dependable capacity, resilience, and a clear route to scale. Norway 1 is designed to deliver high-density infrastructure powered by renewable hydropower, with heat reuse enabled by design, supporting both lower-cost operation and a lower operational footprint. "We’re proud that this project will contribute to the local community and bring new, renewable powered capacity to the market." The €300 million (£259 million) development is expected to create around 400 construction jobs during the build phase and contribute additional renewable-powered data centre capacity to Norway's digital infrastructure. Construction is expected to begin later in 2026, with the facility targeted to become operational in the second half of 2027.

Nebius selects Kao Data for UK AI deployment

Dutch AI cloud company Nebius has signed a 10-year agreement with Kao Data, a data centre developer and operator, to deploy 22MW of AI infrastructure at the company's data centre campus in Harlow, Essex. The deployment will support AI cloud services in the UK and forms part of Nebius's wider expansion plans, including a recently announced £1.7 billion investment in UK AI infrastructure. Nebius will host its AI cloud platform and Nebius Token Factory inference service at Kao Data's Harlow campus, which has been designed to support AI and high-performance computing (HPC) workloads. According to the companies, the agreement will provide additional computing capacity for organisations across the UK's research, academic, and enterprise sectors, while supporting the Government's AI Opportunities Action Plan. Spencer Lamb, CEO of Kao Data, says, "Today marks a significant milestone in the evolution of the Kao Data portfolio and a landmark moment in the UK’s AI ambitions. "Nebius is an impressive global AI cloud operator, and we are delighted to welcome such a significant deployment into our Harlow data centre campus. "This partnership proves that despite challenging macroeconomic circumstances, demand for industrial-scale, UK-based, cutting-edge AI remains high, with Kao Data the perfect platform for the latest AI workloads." Expansion of UK AI computing capacity Nebius provides cloud infrastructure designed for AI model training, deployment, and inference. Part of the new capacity at Harlow will support Nebius Token Factory, the company's inference platform for deploying and managing open AI models at scale. Andrey Korolenko, Chief Product and Infrastructure Officer at Nebius, comments, "We’re pleased to be continuing our expansion in the UK with Kao Data. "The UK is a major destination for AI and is becoming an important part of Nebius’s global footprint. By bringing dedicated capacity to support inference workloads, we can enable UK AI builders and enterprises to achieve their AI goals." Kao Data says the Harlow campus is powered by renewable energy and supported by HVO-powered backup generators. Its KLON-03 facility also incorporates direct-to-chip liquid cooling technology designed to support high-density AI infrastructure while reducing water consumption. The company states that the site already hosts a large concentration of AI, academic research, and life sciences computing workloads. It adds that the Nebius deployment is expected to further strengthen Harlow's position as a centre for AI infrastructure in the UK, as demand for GPU-accelerated computing continues to grow. Kao Data is also reportedly progressing planned facilities in Park Royal, West London, and Greater Manchester. For more from Kao Data, click here.

atNorth expands to Norway with new 'mega site'

atNorth, a Nordic high-density data centre provider, has announced its expansion into Norway through the acquisition of land for a new data centre campus in Haugaland. The site will become home to NOR01, a planned data centre designed to support high-density computing workloads and hyperscale deployments. The development marks atNorth's first presence in Norway and extends the company's footprint across all Nordic countries. Located within Haugaland Business Park, the 36-hectare site is expected to deliver 120MW during its initial phases, with capacity ultimately increasing to 350MW. Power availability is projected for 2028 and will be supported by two new substations: one will be developed by Norway's transmission system operator, Statnett, and the second by regional grid provider Fagne. According to atNorth, the company is also exploring opportunities to reuse excess heat generated by the facility in partnership with organisations based within the business park. Eyjólfur Magnús Kristinsson, CEO of atNorth, says, "Expanding to Norway has been a long-term strategic priority for us, and we’re proud to officially mark our presence across all the Nordic countries with the announcement of NOR01. "Haugaland Business Park is a strong industrial region that offers the ideal combination of renewable energy, excellent connectivity, and a naturally cool climate, making it a highly attractive location for future-focused, AI workloads. "We look forward to collaborating with the local community to deliver world-class digital infrastructure in a responsible way." Haugaland selected for power and connectivity Norway has become an increasingly popular location for large-scale data centre developments due to its renewable energy resources, stable operating environment, and connectivity to European markets. The country's climate also supports more efficient cooling strategies, reducing reliance on mechanical cooling systems. Monika Lindanger, Mayor of Tysvær Municipality, suggests, "This project will not only bring in new investment and innovation to the region, but will also support our local community through training and employment opportunities, our economy via sustainable industry development, and our circular economy with beneficial heat reuse partnerships. "We’re proud to be part of this next chapter in the Nordic data centre evolution." The announcement follows atNorth's plans for a new large-scale data centre campus in Sollefteå, Sweden, as well as recent expansions at facilities in Iceland and developments in Sweden and Finland. For more from atNorth, click here.

Corscale begins work on 140MW Iver data centre

Hyperscale data centre developer Corscale has appointed UK contractors McLaren Construction and Phoenix ME under a pre-construction services agreement to begin predevelopment works for a 140MW data centre campus in Iver, Buckinghamshire, UK. Located on a 14-acre (4,047m²) site at Court Lane near the M25, the development forms part of the West London data centre market and represents a significant addition to UK digital infrastructure capacity. The project will comprise two data centre buildings and a dedicated 140MVA substation. Designed by Gensler, the scheme includes architectural features intended to complement a nearby Grade II listed farmhouse, alongside measures aimed at supporting biodiversity. McLaren Construction will serve as main contractor, while Phoenix ME will act as MEP delivery partner. Gensler is supported by Cundall on MEP design and L&P Group on engineering services. Julian Michalski, Head of Development for Corscale Europe, says, "This is, by design, an exceptional collaboration of a tier-one team. "It brings a combination of expertise and experience - each with a strong track record in complex, mission-critical environments - to deliver superior quality, programme certainty, and technical assurance at every stage, ensuring we meet programme deadlines and our practical completion date in late 2029." Site clearance and remediation works begin in July Predevelopment activities are scheduled to begin on 1 July 2026 and will include site clearance, enabling works, utility diversions, and environmental remediation. The site is currently occupied by a mix of industrial uses, including vehicle storage, waste transfer operations, recycling facilities, concrete and aggregate storage, and tyre distribution businesses. Among the first phases of work will be the relocation of two 36in (91cm) water mains by Affinity Water and the implementation of a site-wide remediation strategy. David McDonnell, Managing Director for Data Centres at McLaren Construction, notes, "As data centres become larger, more powerful, and more complex, we become all the more reliant on the latest construction technology to achieve the project management and precision that this design requires. "We are proud to be partnering with Corscale and this outstanding project team on what promises to be a landmark scheme, and we look forward to progressing works on site." The project is targeting practical completion during the fourth quarter of 2029. For more from Corscale, click here.

HSCALE expands Milan hyperscale data centre plans

HSCALE, a London-based pan-European hyperscale data centre developer, has completed the acquisition of a second hyperscale data centre campus in northwest Milan, Italy, bringing its total planned power capacity in the region to 250MW. The company, which is backed by Bain Capital, says the combined investment across both Milan campuses will exceed €2 billion (£1.7 billion), with facilities expected to be ready for service in 2028. Both campuses are located in Settimo, northwest Milan, an area the company describes as one of the region’s most established hyperscale infrastructure locations. HSCALE says the sites are fully owned, with power capacity secured and pre-construction work already underway. According to the company, the projects are intended to support growing demand for hyperscale cloud and AI infrastructure across Southern Europe. Oliver Schiebel, CEO of HSCALE, explains, “We designed HSCALE's Milan campuses around a simple principle: the building should never be the bottleneck. "Our base design is liquid-cooled first, built for the most demanding hyperscale and AI workloads, and can pivot to air-cooled traditional deployments in the same physical structure. No redesign, no additional capex. "We design and build like this because we understand the long-term commitments our customers must make.” Flexible cooling designs target AI workloads HSCALE says the campuses have been designed to support multiple cooling approaches, including air cooling, direct liquid cooling, and hybrid configurations. The company states that this flexibility is intended to support both traditional cloud infrastructure and higher-density AI workloads without requiring major facility redesigns. Paul Berry-Selwood, CCO at HSCALE, says, “Milan is one of the strongest hyperscale markets in Europe and we are committing around €2 billion to this region because we understand what the market needs and are serious about its growth potential. "Our team closed the second site, secured the power, and is already progressing through pre-construction, ensuring we deliver real capacity as fast as possible.” The announcement also highlights Milan’s growing role as a connectivity hub, supported by the Milan Internet Exchange and increasing hyperscale investment outside traditional FLAP-D markets. Renewable energy and regional investment plans HSCALE says its Milan energy strategy currently targets an electricity mix with approximately 50% renewable generation, including solar, wind, and hydroelectric sources. The company also states that it is working with Aquila Clean Energy as part of a wider clean energy partnership. In addition to infrastructure investment, HSCALE says the developments are expected to create jobs across construction, engineering, IT, and data centre operations within the Milan region. The company is also supporting local initiatives including the Festival di Villa Arconati cultural event.

Eastern Light expands Nordic fibre capacity

Eastern Light, a Stockholm-based independent operator building and owning long-haul dark fibre submarine cable routes, has started construction of the Nordic Corridor, a new subsea fibre cable system connecting Sweden and Finland. The project includes the SF-II subsea connection and represents an investment of approximately €30 million (£26 million). Combined with the company’s existing SF-I cable system, the Nordic Corridor is intended to increase digital communications capacity between the two countries. Eastern Light currently operates the SF-I subsea cable between Sweden and Finland, which contains 144 fibres. The new SF-II system will add a further 288 fibres through a combination of terrestrial and subsea infrastructure. According to the company, the expanded system is designed to meet increasing demand for digital capacity across the Nordic and Baltic regions, particularly as data centre development accelerates. Mikael Vesterlund, COO of Eastern Light, says, “We are seeing rapidly growing demand for digital capacity in the Baltic Sea region, driven primarily by investments in data centres across the Nordics. "Several of the existing cable systems are old and are beginning to reach full utilisation. That is why we need to expand digital capacity between the countries. The Nordic Corridor is an important step in meeting this development.” New cable route designed around resilience Eastern Light says the SF-II deployment will take place in several phases. The first stage, extending to Finnish territorial waters near the Åland archipelago, was completed in May. The company states that the cable route has been designed to remain within national waters, reducing risks associated with international routes and simplifying future repair work if required. Eastern Light also says the Nordic Corridor is owned and financed by Nordic stakeholders. Mikael continues, “The Nordic Corridor is a project of critical importance to society. In the event of security incidents, data must be able to take alternative routes. "That is why we are now strengthening the robustness of the system by building a new fibre connection between Sweden and Finland. More cables are needed.” The SF-II project will span approximately 480km and has an estimated operational lifespan of around 50 years. The subsea cable itself will weigh approximately 566 metric tonnes.

Techno Digital commissions Mumbai edge data centre

Indian data centre developer Techno Digital has announced the completion of its Mumbai Edge Data Center (EDC) in Mahalakshmi, South Mumbai, India. Developed in partnership with RailTel Corporation of India, the facility is built to Rated-3 infrastructure standards and is now fully operational. The site has been designed to support enterprise workloads through a smaller infrastructure footprint focused on low latency and connectivity. The Mumbai EDC is positioned to support businesses operating in Mumbai’s financial districts, providing a reported latency of less than 150 microseconds from the Bombay Stock Exchange in Nariman Point and less than 250 microseconds from the National Stock Exchange of India in Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC). The facility is located near business districts including BKC, Nariman Point, Worli, Lower Parel, Mahalakshmi, and Fort, allowing organisations to deploy infrastructure closer to operational sites. A focus on low-latency connectivity Key features of the facility include: • Low-latency connectivity across Mumbai business districts• Access to RailTel’s nationwide fibre network, spanning more than 63,000km• Infrastructure designed to support sovereign and compliance-focused workloads Its proximity to Mumbai’s cable landing stations is also intended to support international connectivity while maintaining low-latency domestic performance. The Mumbai facility forms part of Techno Digital’s wider edge data centre expansion strategy in partnership with RailTel. The company plans to launch five additional edge locations, with a longer-term target of expanding to 102 sites across India over the next three to four years. Ankit Saraiya, Director & CEO of Techno Digital, comments, “As India’s digital economy scales, infrastructure requirements are evolving beyond capacity to include proximity and performance. "The Mumbai EDC is designed to align infrastructure with demand centres, particularly in high-performance environments such as financial services and real-time platforms. "At Techno Digital, our mission is to build a leading distributed network of interconnected edge infrastructure that matches the concentration of economic and digital activity. The Mumbai facility represents a key milestone in that journey.” Amit Agrawal, President of Techno Digital, adds, “In a city like Mumbai, where milliseconds can impact outcomes, infrastructure placement becomes critical. "This facility combines low-latency architecture, strong connectivity, and sovereign infrastructure to support performance-critical workloads ranging from trading and fintech platforms to real-time AI inferencing and enterprise applications. "It is designed to deliver the reliability and responsiveness required in latency-sensitive environments.” For more from Techno Digital, click here.

'DC construction enters a new era of delivery pressure'

In this exclusive article for DCNN, Dave Wagner, VP of Product Marketing at Newforma, examines how AI-driven demand, compressed timelines, and constantly evolving designs are forcing construction teams to rethink how data centre projects are coordinated and delivered: Why construction teams are rewriting the playbook The data centre boom has pushed construction into unfamiliar territory. Demand keeps climbing, driven by cloud computing, AI workloads, and real-time digital services. Analysts expect the global data centre market to pass $500 billion (£369 billion) within the decade. That growth sounds like opportunity; on the ground, it feels like pressure. Project teams face a new reality: Designs shift mid-build, stakeholders span continents, precision requirements leave no room for error, timelines shrink, and the old workflows do not hold up under these conditions. The solution isn’t just to work harder; it’s to work differently. The golden thread is under strain The “golden thread” promises a clear, traceable record of decisions from design through to delivery. In data centre projects, that thread gets pulled in every direction. Designs evolve while construction is already underway and a change in server density drives new cooling requirements. That then triggers updates across mechanical and electrical systems, while documentation must reflect those changes in real time or the thread breaks. Carl Veillette, Chief Product Officer at Newforma, sees this first hand, stating, “On data centre projects, the golden thread is not a static record; it is a live system. If it falls out of sync with reality, the risk compounds fast.” When information lags, teams build off outdated assumptions. That leads to rework, delays, and finger-pointing. Maintaining continuity of information is no longer a compliance exercise, but a delivery requirement. Design does not sit still Traditional construction relies on a stable design phase. Data centres ignore that sequence as technology advances too quickly. A facility planned around one generation of hardware often needs to support the next before completion. GPU-heavy AI workloads increase power density while liquid cooling replaces air in certain zones and redundancy strategies evolve. Each shift forces coordination across disciplines:• Electrical systems must handle higher loads.• Cooling infrastructure must adapt to new methods.• Structural layouts must support revised equipment footprints. These are not minor tweaks; they affect core systems. Carl puts it plainly, “You are designing for a future state that keeps changing. The teams that succeed are the ones that accept that volatility and build processes around it.” That means parallel workflows. Design, coordination, and construction happen at the same time, whilst decisions move faster, often with incomplete data. Teams need immediate visibility into the latest information to stay aligned. Precision, security, and uptime raise the stakes Data centres operate under strict conditions. Downtime is not tolerated and systems must perform on day one. This drives extreme precision: • Redundant power systems must function without failure.• Cooling must maintain exact environmental conditions.• Security measures must meet strict standards.• System integration must be flawless. At the same time, security concerns limit information access. Teams must share data widely enough to stay aligned while also restricting sensitive details. The margin for error disappears. According to Uptime Institute, over 60% of data centre outages cost more than $100,000 (£74,000), with a growing share exceeding $1 million (£739,000). That risk shapes every decision. Teams cannot afford mistakes caused by poor coordination or outdated information. Speed to market is the new benchmark The race to bring capacity online has compressed schedules across the industry. Hyperscale operators push for faster delivery to meet demand, and delays translate into lost revenue and competitive disadvantage. This pressure reshapes project timelines: • Design cycles shorten.• Construction phases overlap.• Procurement accelerates.• Commissioning windows tighten. There is no buffer for inefficiency. Rework becomes expensive and miscommunication becomes costly. Carl highlights the impact, noting, “Speed to market is not a goal anymore; it is the baseline. The only way to hit it is to remove friction from how teams share and act on information.” A shift towards structured collaboration The common thread across these challenges is information flow. Projects succeed when the right data reaches the right people at the right time. That requires a shift in how teams manage project information: • Centralised access to current documents and models• Clear tracking of RFIs, submittals, and decisions• Real-time updates across all stakeholders• A complete audit trail for accountability and risk management This is where platforms like Newforma play a role. They support the golden thread by keeping project information connected, traceable, and accessible. The impact shows up in reduced risk and faster delivery. Teams spend less time searching for information and more time acting on it. Coordination improves and errors drop, whilst projects move forward with fewer disruptions. The new standard Data centre construction has set a new standard for the industry. It demands speed without sacrificing precision. It requires flexibility without losing control. It depends on collaboration at a scale most projects never reach. These conditions will not ease, as demand will keep rising and technology will keep evolving. The teams that adapt their workflows to this reality will keep pace. Those that do not will fall behind. The playbook has already changed. The only question is who is still using the old one.