Mine's bigger than yours: Mysterious hyperscaler plans to build Europe's largest cloud and AI data center that will suck enough electricity to power 20,000 homes

Permission to build data center in Hertfordshire has been approved
Owner is likely to be a hyperscaler operator, though application was done by an obscure company
It is expected to draw 400MVA from the National Grid when it goes live in 2030

Who doesn’t enjoy a good whodunnit? Approval has been granted for a large data center to be built in Hertfordshire, UK, near London’s M25 motorway, but the identity of the future occupant, believed to be a major hyperscale operator (so potentially AWS, Microsoft, Google or Meta), is as yet unknown.

The planning application was submitted last year by DC01 UK Ltd, and approved by Hertsmere Borough Council shortly after the UK Government launched its AI Opportunities Action Plan, for which new AI data centers will play a major role.

Following the news, a spokesperson for DC01UK said, “We want to thank Hertsmere Borough Council for their open and pragmatic approach to DC01UK’s plans. They understand our ambition for both the project and the borough. It will bring huge benefits for local people through a stronger local economy, more skilled jobs and better opportunities. Our plans also include a raft of upgrades for local transport, including new and existing bus routes, expansion of the local cycle hire scheme and road improvements.”

Operational by 2030

DC01UK will be Europe’s largest cloud and AI data center, with up to two million square feet of space, and draw 400MVA (Megavolt-Amperes) of power from the National Grid, which is enough electricity to power 20,000 homes. 400MVA is the total power supplied, including both real power (MW) and reactive power (MVAR, which accounts for inefficiencies in the system). The location of the project, which is just East of South Mimms Services, places it close to the Elstree (Letchmore Heath) substation.

DC01UK claims “Economic projections estimate the construction value of the project at £3.75bn with a year-round generation of £21.4m in business rates once the data center is operational. The positive economic impact of the data center would also see the creation of 500 skilled on-site jobs during the construction phase, 200 permanent, skilled jobs once up and running and a further 13,740 indirect jobs, 10,900 of which would be in the South East. DC01UK is also estimated to generate approximately £1.1 billion per annum GVA (Gross Value Added) indirectly per year.”

The data center will be built in 85 acres of grounds (54 percent of which DC01UK says will be retained as green space) with construction planned to begin in 2027. The data center is expected to become operational three years later in 2030.

As to who that hyperscaler might be? The Register was told by a DC01UK spokesperson, “Since the announcement last September, we’ve received significant interest and there are active, ongoing discussions that will be finalized in the near future. We will make a further announcement in due course,” which seems to suggest that DC01UK doesn’t know who will be moving into its data center just yet either.

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