REN gives green light for double grid capacity to Sines data centre project

Start Campus, the company which is building the Sines Data Centre – one of the largest data centre solutions in Europe powered by 100% green energy – has been given the green light by electricity provider REN to double its grid capacity from 495 MW to 1.2 GW to supply the data megacentre.

The announcement was made by the national grid operator that will ensure that the new capacity will be the largest in Europe.

Start Campus, a company focused on designing, building and operating a new generation of sustainable data centers, announced on August 22 a landmark order for transformers from Siemens Energy to power its SIN02-06 buildings, a key milestone in delivering its 1.2 GW Sines DC campus.

The data megacentre will involve the construction of six buildings, one of which has already been built and is currently undergoing tests.

The project involves a €20 million investment in Siemens Energy’s transformers to deliver mission-critical power.

This high-demand, long-lead-time equipment will support the construction and fit-out of the second building of SINES DC (SIN02) and underpin its delivery timetable, due to be ready for service in 2026. SIN02 will provide its customers with access to up to 180 MW of IT capacity with reliability and redundancy at competitive power prices.

This order solidifies the partnership between Siemens Energy and Start Campus, which began with the deployment of market-leading power equipment for SIN01.

The green light from REN comes almost a year after the controversy dubbed the ‘Open Bar Diploma’ that resulted in police searches as part of Operation Influencer – a Public Ministry corruption investigation over deals that may have involved members of the former António Costa government.

The investigation focused on alleged instances of active and passive corruption and malfeasance regarding four specific deals: two concessions for lithium mines in northern Portugal, the project for a green hydrogen production plant in Sines, and the project for the data centre.

The investigation led to naming several suspects or ‘legal defendants’, including a secretary of former prime minister António Costa’s office, and led to the prime minister resigning after being informed that he too was the subject of an independent investigation.

A decree-law dated September 6 was signed by the then secretary of State for Energy, Ana Fontoura Gouveia, recognising the Sines area as a Zone of Great Demand and therefore one that would benefit from operations to supply greater power capacity.

Start Campus is developing the SINES DC project, a 1.2 GW data centre campus in Portugal, creating one of Europe’s largest and most sustainable data ecosystems with market-leading global connectivity.

SINES DC provides maximum optionality for customers with powered shell, turn-key and build-to-suit solutions. The company’s advanced offer is AI-ready and addresses the future needs of the industry by integrating liquid cooling technologies into its flexible and scalable design. With a total combined investment value of €8.5Bn, the project is set to use 100% renewable energy and targets an industry-leading PUE of 1.1. Start Campus will be Net Zero by 2030.

The Sines Data Centre is located on the coast of Portugal at Sines, around 90 km from Lisbon and is situated in the largest industrial area in Portugal (ZILS), home to some of the largest national and foreign industrial, logistics and services companies.

The campus is adjacent to a former and decommissioned EDP power plant, providing access to unused seawater infrastructure while its proximity to the deep-sea water port of Sines is strategically located at the crossroads of the main maritime North-South and East-West bound shipping routes.

The Sines region is home to many leading scientific universities and technical schools in Portugal.

Start Campus has various shareholders including the funds Davidson Kempner (US) and Pioneer Point Partners (UK) and is expected to net €300 million of investment in the project by the end of this year.