Microsoft Saudi Arabia East: 3-Zone Azure Cloud Region
Status: Commissioning / Operational Readiness | Location: Dammam (Eastern Province)
Project Overview
The Microsoft Saudi Arabia East region is a high-availability hyperscale deployment consisting of three independent Availability Zones. Each zone is equipped with autonomous power, cooling, and networking to ensure fault tolerance. Launched to support the Kingdom's "Vision 2030," this facility is designed specifically for high-density AI workloads, providing local data residency for government and financial sectors. The project utilizes Microsoft's latest hollow-core fiber and liquid cooling readiness to handle massive generative AI inferencing. By hosting Azure services locally, it reduces latency for Saudi enterprises by up to 80% compared to using European nodes. The facility also features a strategic partnership with the Public Investment Fund (PIF) to explore sovereign cloud solutions, ensuring national data remains within borders while benefiting from global hyperscale innovation. Sustainability is addressed through advanced waterless cooling and a roadmap to 100% renewable energy matching via local solar initiatives.
Quick Facts
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Project Name | Microsoft Saudi Arabia East: 3-Zone Azure Cloud Region |
| Location | Dammam (Eastern Province) |
| Status | Commissioning / Operational Readiness |
| Commissioning | February 12, 2026 |
| Total IT Load | Estimated 60MW - 90MW (Initial Phase) |
| Total Capacity | Part of multi-billion dollar multi-year expansion |
| Tier Level | Tier III Equivalent (Availability Zones) |
| Project Type | Hyperscale Public Cloud |
City Profile
| Header | Details |
|---|
| City Name | Dammam |
| Population | ~1.3 Million (City Proper, 2024 Est.) |
| Urban Agglomeration | 4.7 Million (Dammam Metropolitan Area, 2024 Est.) |
| City GDP | $78 billion |
| Per Capita Income | $23,352 (87,570 SAR) |
| City Tier | Tier 1 / Primary Regional Hub |
| Key Strengths | Strategic gateway location, Proximity to major oil & gas/industrial centres, Access to subsea cable landing points, Strong government support for digital transformation (Saudi Vision 2030). |
Companies Involved
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Developer / Operator | Microsoft |
| Strategic Infrastructure Partner | Public Investment Fund (PIF) & SITE |
| Construction Contractor | Confidential (Global Hyperscale Specialist) |
| MEP Engineering | Microsoft Global Infrastructure Team |
| Network Connectivity | STC, Mobily, and Microsoft Global Network |
| Power Infrastructure | Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) |
Technical Specifications
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Power Capacity | Scalable to 150MW+ |
| UPS Redundancy | 2N Redundancy per Availability Zone |
| Cooling System | Adiabatic / Advanced Air-Cooled with Liquid-Ready Racks |
| Connectivity | 3 Availability Zones with dedicated high-speed interconnects |
| PUE Target | 1.18 |
| Energy Mix | Grid-connected with significant Solar RECs transition |
Milestones
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Announcement | Q1 2023 |
| Construction Start | Q3 2024 |
| Phase 1 Go-Live | February 2026 (Readiness) / Q4 2026 (General Availability) |
| Full Buildout | 2028 |
Investment Details
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Total Investment | Multi-Billion Dollar Investment |
| Funding | Microsoft Corporate Capital |