CleanArc Data Centers has announced plans to put up a new 600 MW data centre in Virginia, the state with the largest data centre market on the planet. The state is home to over 300 data facilities with a total power of over 2,500 MW. It is favoured among developers because of the access to low costs of power and a strong fiber network infrastructure due to its closeness to the capital, Washington D.C. Furthermore, it is home to several global fiber networks including BRUSA, the high-capacity subsea cable that runs from Fortaleza, Brazil, to San Juan, Puerto Rico, and then to Virginia Beach. This cable is owned and operated by Telxius. What’s more, it provides ultrafast transmission with up to 138 Tbps!
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The CleanArc Data Center
Considering all these benefits, it is no surprise that CleanArc chose the state to invest in a new 600 MW facility. The center will be located on 650 acres along the Interstate 95 between Ashburn and Richmond. While building specifications haven’t been released yet, the first substation will have around 300 MW capacity and will be completed by 2027. The substation will be constructed by Rappahannock Electric Cooperative who signed an agreement with CleanArc to begin construction on the site this month.
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Project Financing
Construction on the project made significant progress earlier this week when Snowhawk LP, a private equity firm invested an undisclosed amount into CleanArc. This will allow CleanArc to pour capital into providing wind, solar and other renewable sources to offset the power consumption on its campuses. The company also announced that it will provide its customers with hourly, load-following carbon-free energy. Led by a team of data center veterans and power structuring experts, CleanArc has created a unique approach to hyperscale data center development. The facility will deliver 300+ MW, 200-700+-acre campuses while offering very intentional power sourcing.
“We see a generational opportunity to invest in the cloud and AI architecture underpinning our increasingly digital society. CleanArc is a pioneer in innovative and sustainable data center solutions for its customers. We are excited to invest in platform expansion in its focus markets,” said Brian McMullen, managing partner and co-founder at Snowhawk.
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New Amazon Data Center speculated for Virginia
This is not the only recent project in the state. At the beginning of the month, Minnieville Capital Acquisitions LLC acquired land for a centre. 39 acres of land spread across eight parcels of land was purchased for a cost of US$ 56.6 million. Details for the project have not been released yet. Reports have, however, sited that it is likely Amazon will announce a new project soon. This is because Minnieville assembles and entitles data centre land for its clients. Property records for have been associated with an address to Amazon leading to the speculation. Up to 3 data centres could be developed on this specific site.
Project Overview
Location: Along the Interstate 95 between Ashburn and Richmond, Virginia
Capacity: 600 MW
Completion date: 2027
Construction team: Rappahannock Electric Cooperative
Financiers: Snowhawk LP
Scope: 650 acres
