Status: Ongoing Development and Accelerated Expansion | Location: Across Saudi Arabia (Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam/Al-Khobar, Madinah, etc.)
The center3 1 Gigawatt Expansion Plan represents one of the most aggressive and strategically important data center initiatives in the Middle East, directly supporting Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 agenda to diversify the economy and become a leading global digital hub. center3, a specialised subsidiary of the stc Group, is the vehicle for this transformation, focusing on carrier-neutral data centers and international connectivity.
The scale of the commitment is immense: center3 has invested US$3 billion to date and is committing to an additional US$10 billion investment by 2030, targeting a total IT load capacity of 1,000 MW (1.0 GW). This makes the project central to the Kingdom’s goal of dramatically expanding its total national IT load to over 1 GW by 2030.
The expansion involves building new, high-density, hyperscale-ready data centers across key cities like Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam, establishing a critical backbone for cloud services and next-generation workloads. A key technological focus is high availability, with the majority of new capacity designed to meet demanding Uptime Institute Tier IV standards—the highest level of redundancy and fault tolerance—to assure 99.995% uptime for government, banking, and hyperscale operations.
This colossal digital infrastructure drive is crucial for attracting the global hyperscalers (like AWS and Microsoft, who have their own committed investments) and for supporting domestic initiatives, particularly the massive AI programs backed by the Public Investment Fund (PIF). Furthermore, center3 leverages its control over the Saudi Vision Cable and an expanding network of international submarine cables, physically connecting Europe, Asia, and Africa. This connectivity, combined with the massive computing power, solidifies Saudi Arabia’s role as the digital intersection of the three continents. The first major phase is set to deliver 300 MW of installed capacity by 2027, signalling the immediate impact of this multi-billion-dollar strategic effort.
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Project Name | center3 (stc) 1 Gigawatt Expansion Plan |
| Location | Across Saudi Arabia (Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam/Al-Khobar, Madinah, etc.) |
| Status | Ongoing Development and Accelerated Expansion |
| Commissioning | Phased, with initial phases reaching 300 MW by 2027 |
| Total IT Load | 1,000 MW (1.0 GW) (Targeted total capacity by 2030) |
| Total Capacity | 1.0 GW |
| Tier Level | Majority of new builds are targeting Tier IV standards (82% of market share) |
| Project Type | Hyperscale, Carrier-Neutral, International Connectivity Hub |
| Header | Details |
|---|---|
| City Name | Riyadh |
| Population | 7 to over 9 million |
| Urban Agglomeration | 7.9 to 9 million |
| City GDP | $550 billion by 2030 |
| Per Capita Income | $32,000 - $55,000 USD |
| City Tier | Tier 1 / Primary Data Center Hub (Riyadh) |
| Key Strengths | Capital city (Riyadh), massive government and enterprise demand, PIF backing, proximity to international connectivity (Jeddah/Dammam). |
| Header | Details |
|---|---|
| Developer / Operator | center3 (Subsidiary of stc Group) |
| Strategic Infrastructure Partner | TBD / Various global tech and infrastructure partners |
| Construction Contractor | TBD / Multiple local and international firms |
| MEP Engineering | TBD |
| Network Connectivity | Submarine cables (e.g., Saudi Vision Cable), high-speed terrestrial fiber |
| Power Infrastructure | Fully secured power, optimized for high-density loads |
| Header | Details |
|---|---|
| Power Capacity | 1.0 GW (Targeted Total IT Load) |
| UPS Redundancy | Expected to be 2N or greater (Tier IV design requirements) |
| Cooling System | Advanced cooling systems, optimized for the high-density and hot climate (Chilled Water, CRAH) |
| Connectivity | Carrier-Neutral Interconnectivity, direct access to international cable network |
| PUE Target | TBD (Focus on energy-efficient designs) |
| Energy Mix | Commitment to Sustainability and renewable energy integration |
| Header | Details |
|---|---|
| Announcement | Major capacity announcements in 2022 and 2025 |
| Construction Start | Ongoing phased construction across multiple cities |
| Phase 1 Go-Live | Goal of 300 MW installed capacity by 2027 |
| Full Buildout | 1.0 GW by 2030 |
| Header | Details |
|---|---|
| Total Investment | US$13 Billion (US$3B completed + US$10B committed by 2030) |
| Funding | stc Group, Public Investment Fund (PIF) alignment |
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