Apto Announces €2bn Investment to Build the Largest Data Centre Campus in Madrid Cloud Region
Apto has announced a €2 billion investment to develop a hyperscale data center campus in Fuenlabrada, near Madrid, marking a major step in the company’s European expansion strategy. The 195,000-square-meter site, located about 14km from Madrid’s city center, will host up to five data centers with a total projected capacity of 240MW. Construction on the first phase is set to begin immediately after site preparation works, including the installation of a 40MW substation.
The project will focus heavily on sustainability, with plans for at least 50% of the campus power to come from 100% renewable energy during the first two phases. Apto said the development will also deliver local benefits through jobs, infrastructure improvements, and new green spaces. According to Spain DC, “every euro invested in data centres generates more than seven euros in local economic return,” highlighting the sector’s growing impact on regional economic development.
Humain secures 211 plots of land in Saudi Arabia for data centers
Saudi Arabia’s state-backed AI company Humain has secured 211 plots of land across the country as part of its data center expansion strategy. The company is developing major facilities in Riyadh and Dammam, each expected to launch in Q2 2026 with an initial capacity of 100MW, as part of its longer-term plan to reach around 6GW of data center capacity over the next decade.
CEO Tareq Amin said the company’s approach focuses on geographic diversification and connectivity. “Our strategy is built on geographic diversity and multiple fiber-optic routes, which is possible because of the Kingdom’s vast land mass,” he said. Amin also confirmed the deployment of Qualcomm AI100-powered racks, adding that the installation of 1,024 AI accelerators marks “one of the largest Qualcomm implementations globally,” supporting large-scale AI inferencing workloads.
1GW data center planned for North Lincolnshire, UK, given planning permission
A 1GW data center campus planned for a former RAF base in North Lincolnshire, UK, has received outline planning permission from the local council. The project, known as Elsham Tech Park, will span around 1.5 million square meters and could cost between £5.5 billion and £7 billion, with plans for 15 data halls and an on-site energy center to support part of the campus power needs.
Rob Waltham, leader of North Lincolnshire Council, said: “The numbers attached to this project are eye-watering – almost hard to get your head around.” He added that the development could bring major economic benefits, including thousands of construction jobs and hundreds of long-term skilled roles, helping establish a new technology industry in the region.
ry pleased to partner again with La Caisse, who shares our partnership-oriented approach to long-term value creation.”
New Zealand’s Datagrid gets approval for 280MW campus near Invercargill
New Zealand data center firm Datagrid has received full approval to develop a 280MW data center campus in Makarewa near Invercargill, marking what is expected to become the first hyperscale data center on the country’s South Island. The 78,000 sqm facility has been granted resource consent by Southland District Council, Environment Southland, and Invercargill City Council, clearing the way for construction to begin.
Remi Galasso, founder and CEO of Datagrid New Zealand, said: “This approval is the result of years of dedication and collaboration, and we are excited about the transformative impact this project will have on Southland and New Zealand as a whole.” The project will also be supported by the upcoming Tasman Ring Network subsea cable, which will connect the South Island to major digital infrastructure hubs in New Zealand and Australia.
Oracle stood up 400MW of data center capacity in latest quarter, has secured 10GW of power for the next three years
Oracle brought 400MW of new data center capacity online during its latest quarter, as demand for AI infrastructure continues to surge. The company said it has now secured around 10GW of power for its data center pipeline over the next three years and reported a remaining performance obligation of $553 billion, reflecting strong long-term customer commitments.
Clay Magouyrk, Oracle’s executive vice president of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, said demand for AI compute continues to outpace supply. “This is directly visible in our $553 billion remaining performance obligation,” he said, adding that most of the capacity required for upcoming deployments is already funded through Oracle’s infrastructure partners as the company expands its cloud and AI footprint.
400MW data center could be built in eastern South Africa
A 400MW data center campus could potentially be developed in eThekwini Municipality in eastern South Africa, following the signing of a preliminary memorandum of agreement with a consortium of Korean energy and technology companies. The proposed site is located near the Lovu River south of Ocean View Road, though the project remains at an early exploratory stage and could cost between $3 billion and $10 billion if it moves forward.
City officials emphasized that the agreement does not represent formal approval of the project. The municipality stated that the memorandum is strictly for “exploratory and feasibility purposes,” adding that any figures circulating publicly, including the potential 400MW capacity, “should not be regarded as confirmed project specifications.”
CyrusOne completes construction milestone at Texas data centre development
CyrusOne has reached a construction milestone at its new data center campus in Bosque County, Texas, marking the topping out of the first building at the site. The milestone represents the installation of the highest structural element of the facility, which has involved more than 650 skilled tradespeople and over 450,000 working hours during construction.
Mayor Damaris Neelley highlighted the project’s impact on the community, saying: “This isn’t just a company building a facility, this is a partner building trust.” She added that when development is done with transparency and collaboration, “it doesn’t just build facilities – it builds our future.”
Pure Data Centres restructures leadership by onboarding ex CyrusOne CEO
Pure Data Centres Group has restructured its leadership team as it prepares for further expansion across Europe and the Middle East. The company has appointed former CyrusOne CEO Gary Wojtaszek as executive chairman and interim chief executive, while current CEO Dame Dawn Childs will transition into the role of president as the company continues developing large-scale AI and hyperscale data center campuses.
Childs said the leadership change will support the company’s next phase of growth. “Gary’s appointment is a significant milestone for Pure DC. His global leadership experience and proven ability to scale complex infrastructure platforms make him uniquely suited to lead our next chapter of growth.” Wojtaszek added that the company’s objective is to expand in supply-constrained markets and “develop the next generation of large-scale AI campuses across the region.”
Greece targets Balkan and Gulf markets with $6.2 billion Kozani data centre project
The Greek government is advancing plans for a $6.2 billion data center campus in Kozani as part of a strategy to strengthen national digital infrastructure and position the country as a regional hub for AI and cloud computing. The project would repurpose land previously used for lignite power generation and could involve partnerships with major hyperscalers such as Google, Microsoft, and Amazon Web Services.
Officials say the initiative aims to strengthen digital sovereignty by keeping sensitive data within Greece while serving regional markets. The project is expected to create around 2,000 permanent jobs and could also support demand from the Balkans and Gulf region as Greece develops new digital infrastructure capacity.
