Project Monet: €2.2B High-Density Hyperscale AI Campus
Status: Approved / Pre-Construction Planning (Siting Finalized May 2026) | Location: Île-de-France Corridor
Project Overview
Formally authorized by European administrative planning updates in mid-May 2026, Microsoft's Project Monet is a landmark €2.2 billion digital infrastructure initiative. Positioned within the high-tech Paris-Saclay corridor, this massive 360MW master-planned development is engineered from day one to house dense accelerated computing clusters optimized for generative AI models, deep learning transformers, and strict European data sovereignty compliance frameworks. To overcome regional environmental friction and strict European grid efficiency mandates, Microsoft has eliminated traditional evaporative wet-cooling cooling towers entirely. Project Monet features an advanced, waterless closed-loop dry cooling system paired with customized liquid-to-chip infrastructure within the data halls. Additionally, Microsoft has executed a comprehensive local grid agreement that binds the campus to an on-site heat-recycling network, capturing server waste thermal load and funneling it directly into local community district heating systems to warm nearby residential and university facilities.
Quick Facts
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Project Name | Project Monet: €2.2B High-Density Hyperscale AI Campus |
| Location | Île-de-France Corridor |
| Status | Approved / Pre-Construction Planning (Siting Finalized May 2026) |
| Commissioning | Heavy Civil Groundbreaking: Q4 2026; Phase 1 Live Target: Late 2027 |
| Total IT Load | 180 MW (Phase 1 Baseline Critical Load) |
| Total Capacity | 360 MW (Ultimate Approved Campus Substation Footprint) |
| Tier Level | Tier III+ Concurrently Maintainable Sovereign Cloud Infrastructure |
| Project Type | Purpose-Built Hyperscale AI Factory & European Azure Sovereign Cloud Node |
City Profile
| Header | Details |
|---|
| City Name | Île-de-France |
| Population | 12.4 million+ (approx.) |
| Urban Agglomeration | 13 million+ (Paris Metropolitan Area) |
| City GDP | Over USD 1 trillion economy (Paris Region) |
| Per Capita Income | Approximately USD 55,000 |
| City Tier | Tier 1 Global Region |
| Key Strengths | Global financial center, advanced transportation network, technology and innovation hub, tourism, luxury retail, education and research institutions |
Companies Involved
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Developer / Operator | Microsoft Corporation |
| Strategic Infrastructure Partner | French Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industrial Sovereignty |
| Construction Contractor | Confidential Principal European Mission-Critical General Contractors |
| MEP Engineering | Bouygues Energies & Services / Jacobs Europe |
| Network Connectivity | Direct Integration with Microsoft Azure Trans-European Fiber Rings |
| Power Infrastructure | Électricité de France (EDF) / High-Voltage Renewable-Interfaced Substations |
Technical Specifications
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Power Capacity | 360 MW Maximum Allocated Site Power Envelope |
| UPS Redundancy | 2N Configurable High-Efficiency Solid-State Lithium-Ion Battery Storage Networks |
| Cooling System | 100% Waterless Closed-Loop Dry Cooling paired with Direct-to-Chip Secondary Fluid Loops |
| Connectivity | Carrier-Neutral Architecture; Diverse Multi-Directional Entry Points |
| PUE Target | 1.15 (Highly optimized for Western European seasonal ambient ranges) |
| Energy Mix | 100% Clean Energy Matching supported by newly executed French Wind & Solar PPAs |
Milestones
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Announcement | Late 2025 |
| Construction Start | May 2026 |
| Phase 1 Go-Live | Q4 2026 |
| Full Buildout | Late 2027 |
Investment Details
| Header | Details |
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| Total Investment | €2.2 Billion EUR ($2.4 Billion+ USD Corporate Asset Deployment) |
| Funding | Microsoft Corporate Capital Expenditure (CapEx Core Allocation) |