CyrusOne to open second data centre in Milan

Author: Simon Rowley

CyrusOne, a global data centre developer and operator specialising in delivering state-of-the-art digital infrastructure solutions, has announced plans to build its second data centre in Milan, named MIL2, which will deliver 54 megawatts of IT capacity to 18,000 square metres of technical space over three floors.

The announcement follows the acquisition of a 19.68 acre site, strategically located within two Municipalities – Milan and Segrate – and four miles east of the city centre, close to Linate Airport.

CyrusOne has prioritised creating opportunities for the community in the planning and development of the facility, offering approximately 30% of the overall site to the Municipality and working closely with the local authority to improve the area surrounding the data centre. The data centre will benefit from thoughtful landscaping, acoustic panels to reduce noise impact, and will be built ‘heat reuse ready’, offering the opportunity to distribute heat to local third parties where demand exists.

“We are continuing to see significant demand from enterprise cloud and AI workloads, and are optimistic about the opportunities in Italy,” says Matt Pullen, EVP and Managing Director, Europe, CyrusOne. “The country has a strong historic industrial base and is welcoming of new industries. What’s more, Italy’s power infrastructure can potentially deliver more near-term utility power than many other EU countries and has planned effectively to ensure its power grid is resilient for the future. This latest acquisition further cements our commitment to providing modern infrastructure in Italy that provides jobs and benefits for the local area.”

As part of the development, and subject to a purchase agreement, CyrusOne will transfer 8,300 square metres of land to TERNA to support the expansion of the Lambrate substation, situated on an adjacent plot of land. The site will receive a dual active power supply of 90 MVA at 220 KV for the facility from 2028, with the power generated from the substation feeding both CyrusOne MIL1 and MIL2 data centres. Additional power capacity from the substation will be made available to local businesses.

Consistent with CyrusOne’s portfolio throughout Europe, sustainability is central to the development of the data centre, which is designed to achieve a BREEAM ‘Very Good’ certification as a minimum and will run on 100% renewable energy. Over 500 square metres of solar panels will provide power for ancillary areas and the data centre will achieve a low PUE through the use of a closed loop cooling solution and optimum chilled water temperatures to maximise free cooling hours.

CyrusOne announced its entry into Italy in December 2024 following its acquisition of an 18.5 acre site, strategically located in the Municipality of Segrate, East Milan. The MIL1 data centre will deliver 27 megawatts of IT capacity across 9,000 square metres of technical space within a single building over three floors.

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