Apto Lacchiarella Data Center Campus: Technical Specs
Status: Announced / Pre-Construction & Permitting Phase | Location: Via SP105 / SP40 Junction Area, 20084 Lacchiarella, Metropolitan City of Milan, Italy
Project Overview
The Apto Lacchiarella Data Center Campus is a flagship 180 MW hyperscale data center development by Apto Digital Infrastructure, the European data center platform of PIMCO, located in Lacchiarella within the strategic South Milan digital corridor of Italy. The project represents a major multi-billion-euro investment and is being designed to meet the rapidly growing demand for high-density artificial intelligence computing, cloud infrastructure, and enterprise digital services. With 180 MW of planned capacity, the campus is engineered to accommodate power-intensive deployments, including dense GPU clusters required for AI model training, inference, machine learning, and other accelerated computing workloads. Its strategic location in the South Milan data center market provides access to established telecommunications networks, regional business centers, and Italy’s broader digital infrastructure ecosystem. The campus is also positioned to support sovereign cloud requirements, enabling organizations to deploy sensitive data and workloads within infrastructure governed by European and local regulatory frameworks. Advanced infrastructure is expected to support high-density computing environments while providing the scalability required by hyperscalers, cloud service providers, technology companies, and enterprises. The development’s large power capacity reflects the increasing electrical requirements of modern AI systems, where dense accelerator deployments require substantial energy and sophisticated cooling infrastructure. Its location within the Milan metropolitan area also strengthens connectivity to one of Italy’s most important commercial and technology hubs. By combining hyperscale capacity, AI-ready infrastructure, high-density GPU computing capabilities, and sovereign cloud potential, the Apto Lacchiarella campus represents a significant expansion of Italy’s digital infrastructure landscape. The project demonstrates the growing shift toward purpose-built facilities capable of supporting next-generation AI workloads while providing scalable capacity for global hyperscalers and enterprise customers.
Quick Facts
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Project Name | Apto Lacchiarella Data Center Campus: Technical Specs |
| Location | Via SP105 / SP40 Junction Area, 20084 Lacchiarella, Metropolitan City of Milan, Italy |
| Status | Announced / Pre-Construction & Permitting Phase |
| Commissioning | Q4 2027 Phase 1 Operation Target |
| Total IT Load | ~180.0 MW Critical IT Power (~220 MW Total Utility Power Capacity) |
| Total Capacity | 60,000 m² (~645,835 sq ft) total indoor floor space across three multi-story hyperscale structures |
| Tier Level | Tier III / Tier IV Equivalent Fault-Tolerant AI Hyperscale Architecture |
| Project Type | Hyperscale Cloud, High-Performance Computing (HPC) & AI Infrastructure Super-Campus |
City Profile
| Header | Details |
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| City Name | Lacchiarella |
| Population | 9,131 (December 2025) |
| Urban Agglomeration | Approximately 3.5 million, Milan metropolitan area |
| City GDP | Not separately reported |
| Per Capita Income | Not separately reported |
| City Tier | Tier 2, Milan Metropolitan Industrial and Infrastructure Location |
| Key Strengths | Proximity to Milan, industrial and logistics activity, transport connectivity, access to the Lombardy business ecosystem, available land, and proximity to major technology and commercial markets. |
Companies Involved
| Header | Details |
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| Developer / Operator | Apto Digital Infrastructure |
| Strategic Infrastructure Partner | Terna (Italian National Transmission Grid Operator), Enel Distribution, Municipality of Lacchiarella, Lombardy Region |
| Construction Contractor | Specialized European Mission-Critical EPC Contractors |
| MEP Engineering | Apto Mission-Critical Infrastructure Engineering Division & Specialized European MEP Consultants |
| Network Connectivity | Carrier-neutral facility featuring path-diverse subterranean dark fiber entrance vaults, dual Meet-Me-Rooms (MMRs), and direct fiber trunks linking to Milan’s primary internet exchanges (MIX Milan) and international subsea cable backbones. |
| Power Infrastructure | Dual high-voltage grid feeders connected to the Terna national transmission system, static 2N / N+1 UPS systems, automated fast-transfer switchgear, and emergency standby generators. |
Technical Specifications
| Header | Details |
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| Power Capacity | ~220 MVA Dedicated Substation Grid Connection |
| UPS Redundancy | Concurrently Maintainable Tier III 2N / N+1 Static UPS Architecture |
| Cooling System | Direct-to-Chip (DLC) liquid cooling systems, rear-door heat exchangers (RDHx), dry coolers, and high-efficiency closed-loop chillers optimized for ultra-low water utilization. |
| Connectivity | Sub-millisecond dark fiber latency routes connecting Lacchiarella to major data center hubs in Caldera Park, Settimo Milanese, and Frankfurt/Zurich corridors. |
| PUE Target | < 1.18 Annualized Operational Design PUE |
| Energy Mix | 100% renewable power procurement (backed by Power Purchase Agreements / PPAs for Italian solar and wind generation) with integrated district waste-heat recovery options. |
Milestones
| Header | Details |
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| Announcement | Private Equity / Institutional Capital (PIMCO Real Assets / Apto Capital Commitments) |
| Construction Start | Late 2026 |
| Phase 1 Go-Live | Late 2026 |
| Full Buildout | 2029–2030 (Multi-Phase Rollout Across All 3 Buildings) |
Investment Details
| Header | Details |
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| Total Investment | ~€1,200,000,000 – €1,500,000,000 EUR (~$1,300,000,000 – $1,600,000,000 USD Core Infrastructure Buildout) |
| Funding | Private Equity / Institutional Capital (PIMCO Real Assets / Apto Capital Commitments) |