Pavlodar Valley: 1GW Firebird & NVIDIA AI Hub Kazakhstan
Status: Announced / Initial Site Allocation | Location: Ekibastuz, Pavlodar Region
Project Overview
The Pavlodar Data Center Valley (Ekibastuz Hub) stands as a landmark industrial achievement, shifting the landscape of high-performance computing across Central Asia. Officially announced on June 29, 2026, by Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov during a joint parliamentary session, this monumental 1-gigawatt (GW) development in Ekibastuz addresses Kazakhstan’s urgent push for deep digital sovereignty. Backed by a $10 billion strategic development program alongside U.S.-based cloud infrastructure giant Firebird and computing leader NVIDIA, the project moves the nation away from its historical reliance on foreign cloud frameworks, constructing a regional destination for global AI training and high-density algorithmic inference. Advanced resource optimization and regional power scaling form the twin pillars of the Pavlodar Valley engineering framework. Because housing thousands of next-generation NVIDIA graphics processing units (GPUs) generates enormous structural thermal loads, Firebird has designed the facility with a hybrid infrastructure scheme. To mitigate water resource depletion in the arid Pavlodar steppe, the campus prioritizes advanced closed-loop direct-to-chip liquid cooling networks paired with high-efficiency air heat rejection systems, maintaining a low power usage effectiveness (PUE) target and eliminating continuous wastewater. Economically, the multi-billion-dollar project revitalizes the historic Ekibastuz energy corridor, generating thousands of heavy industrial construction roles and cultivating a long-term technical workforce within Pavlodar Region.
Quick Facts
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Project Name | Pavlodar Valley: 1GW Firebird & NVIDIA AI Hub Kazakhstan |
| Location | Ekibastuz, Pavlodar Region |
| Status | Announced / Initial Site Allocation |
| Commissioning | 2027 (Phase 1 Go-Live) |
| Total IT Load | 750 MW |
| Total Capacity | 1,000 MW (1.0 GW Master Planned Power Corridor) |
| Tier Level | Tier III Scalable Infrastructure Architecture |
| Project Type | National Sovereign AI Infrastructure & Megacampus Hub |
City Profile
| Header | Details |
|---|
| City Name | Ekibastuz City in Kazakhstan |
| Population | Approximately 155,000 (estimated) |
| Urban Agglomeration | Approximately 170,000 |
| City GDP | Estimated US$2.5–3.5 billion (driven by mining and power generation) |
| Per Capita Income | Approximately US$15,000–18,000 (estimated) |
| City Tier | Tier 3 – Industrial & Energy Hub |
| Key Strengths | One of Kazakhstan's largest coal mining centers |
Companies Involved
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Developer / Operator | Firebird Cloud Operations Management |
| Strategic Infrastructure Partner | Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry of Kazakhstan |
| Construction Contractor | International Mission-Critical EPC Joint Venture Consortium |
| MEP Engineering | Global High-Density Thermal Specialists & Regional High-Voltage Substation Engineering Partners |
| Network Connectivity | Multiple redundant dark fiber rings connecting directly to trans-Eurasian backbone networks |
| Power Infrastructure | Direct connection to the Ekibastuz high-voltage transmission grid with an initial 300 MW dedicated line |
Technical Specifications
| Header | Details |
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| Power Capacity | 1,000 MW (1 GW total multi-phase grid allocation) |
| UPS Redundancy | Block Redundant (N+1) topology utilizing utility-scale lithium-iron-phosphate battery rooms |
| Cooling System | Closed-loop direct-to-chip liquid cooling paired with mechanical air-cooling (Zero water consumption) |
| Connectivity | Carrier-neutral, ultra-low latency trans-continental fiber ring |
| PUE Target | < 1.15 |
| Energy Mix | Grid-tied power combining baseline industrial generation with phased regional solar and wind grid tracking |
Milestones
| Header | Details |
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| Announcement | June 29, 2026 |
| Construction Start | Q3 2026 |
| Phase 1 Go-Live | H1 2027 (Initial 125 MW Data Hall) |
| Full Buildout | 2032 |
Investment Details
| Header | Details |
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| Total Investment | $10 Billion USD (Projected cumulative capital investment via Firebird and consortium partners) |
| Funding | Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), corporate capital financing, and sovereign infrastructure funds |