Paris, November 17, 2025- EDF has entered exclusive talks with OpCore, the data center platform backed by Iliad Group and InfraVia Capital Partners, to build a multi-billion-euro hyperscale data-centre campus on the grounds of EDF’s former Montereau coal power plant, southeast of Paris.
EDF confirmed that the proposed project sits on a 20-hectare site with an existing authorized grid connection of up to 700 MW, making it one of the very few locations in France capable of supporting next-generation AI and cloud workloads at massive scale. The company said the plan is part of its long-term program to repurpose retired thermal-plant sites for strategic digital infrastructure.
Reports state that OpCore’s total investment could reach around EUR 4 billion (USD 4.64 billion), with the planned campus delivering “several hundred megawatts” of IT load once fully built, positioning the campus among the largest planned in Europe. The strong grid readiness of the site is a key factor behind OpCore’s interest.
EDF noted that the first phase of the campus could be operational by 2027, supported by France’s updated fast-track grid-connection rules designed to accelerate digital-infrastructure deployment.
French officials have publicly welcomed the move. In coverage cited by Reuters, Economy Minister Roland Lescure called the initiative an example of the country’s “reindustrialisation through clean and digital projects,” linking the redevelopment to national efforts around AI sovereignty.
OpCore, which specialises in hyperscale campuses across Europe through Iliad and InfraVia, said the Montereau project aligns with its strategy of building high-power, energy-efficient data-centre platforms in markets with strong long-term demand from cloud and AI customers.
Despite the momentum, the project is still at the negotiation stage. EDF clarified that these are exclusive discussions, not a final investment decision. Details on financing structure, lender participation, and the exact MW capacity for each phase have not yet been disclosed publicly.
Even so, the partnership is being seen as a major turning point. A former coal site that once powered France’s industrial era may now power its AI era, reflecting the convergence of European energy and digital strategies.
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