SoftBank Dunkirk AI Campus: 3.1GW Sovereign Mega-Hub
Status: Active / Pre-Construction & Fast-Track Planning Phase (Announced June 2026) | Location: Port of Dunkirk (Loon-Plage), Hauts-de-France Region, France
Project Overview
The SoftBank Hauts-de-France AI Computing Cluster is a monumental digital infrastructure program anchored by a strategic site at the Port of Dunkirk (Loon-Plage). Formally unveiled at the June 2026 Choose France Summit, this project serves as the flagship centerpiece of SoftBank's massive expansion into the European sovereign AI sector. The campus is custom-architected from the ground up to handle the extreme electrical draw and tightly clustered topologies required for next-generation large language model (LLM) training and robotics processing. By establishing a close industrial partnership with Schneider Electric, the Dunkirk site uniquely combines raw AI compute processing with an on-site, automated manufacturing cluster. This specialized complex features two distinct facilities: a SoftBank-operated plant dedicated to building advanced structural server enclosures, and a Schneider Electric facility focused on integrating modular power distribution units. Geographically optimized as a low-latency gateway, the Hauts-de-France campus perfectly bypasses land-banking limitations in older FLAP-D markets while smoothly routing heavy machine learning workloads into the major business centers of London, Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam.
Quick Facts
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Project Name | SoftBank Dunkirk AI Campus: 3.1GW Sovereign Mega-Hub |
| Location | Port of Dunkirk (Loon-Plage), Hauts-de-France Region, France |
| Status | Active / Pre-Construction & Fast-Track Planning Phase (Announced June 2026) |
| Commissioning | Phase 1 initial technical facility handovers scheduled sequentially through 2031 |
| Total IT Load | ~2,500 MW net critical operational AI compute workload for Phase 1 |
| Total Capacity | 3.1 Gigawatts (3,100 MW) initial regional capacity envelope |
| Tier Level | Tier III Compliant custom ultra-high-density framework |
| Project Type | Greenfield AI Training Megacampus & Robotized Hardware Production Hub |
City Profile
| Header | Details |
|---|
| City Name | Ferrières-en-Brie |
| Population | ~3,900 (latest estimates, small commune) |
| Urban Agglomeration | Part of the Paris metropolitan area (~12+ million people) |
| City GDP | Not reported independently (too small); economically integrated into the Paris metropolitan economy, which has a GDP of ~$900+ billion |
| Per Capita Income | Estimated €30,000–€40,000 (aligned with Île-de-France regional averages) |
| City Tier | Tier 4 (small suburban commune within a major global metro region) |
| Key Strengths | Proximity to Paris (strong economic spillover) |
Companies Involved
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Developer / Operator | SoftBank |
| Strategic Infrastructure Partner | French Ministry of Economy, Finance, & Industrial, Energy, & Digital Sovereignty |
| Construction Contractor | Leading European Mission-Critical EPC Consortiums (Bidding active June 2026) |
| MEP Engineering | Schneider Electric / SoftBank Joint Advanced Power & Thermal Architecture Group |
| Network Connectivity | Multiple physically isolated, low-latency terrestrial dark fiber loops and marine subsea landings linking directly to major trans-European transport lines |
| Power Infrastructure | Réseau de Transport d'Électricité (RTE) High-Voltage Bulk Transmission Network |
Technical Specifications
| Header | Details |
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| Power Capacity | 3,100 MW regional allocation delivered via dedicated on-site 400 kV extra-high-voltage substations |
| UPS Redundancy | Distributed block-redundant ($N+1$) solid-state UPS configurations integrated with Schneider Electric utility-scale power modules and localized BESS arrays |
| Cooling System | Next-generation liquid cooling, direct-to-chip waterless loops, and rear-door heat exchangers engineered to support dense GPU architectures exceeding 100 kW per cabinet |
| Connectivity | Hardened, physically isolated subterranean network entry vaults ensuring absolute path diversity and high transport survivability |
| PUE Target | $\le 1.12$ design-optimized annualized operating efficiency under continuous, maximum machine learning configurations |
| Energy Mix | 100% matched with carbon-free, competitive sovereign nuclear energy drawn directly from France's robust regional EDF generation grid |
Milestones
| Header | Details |
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| Announcement | Inter-governmental strategic development framework and €45B funding plan finalized June 2026 |
| Construction Start | Heavy civil site grading, land adaptations, and line-side utility pipeline routing targeted for mid-2027 |
| Phase 1 Go-Live | First wave of technical building shells and modular power blocks projected to go active by late 2029 |
| Full Buildout | Sequential regional campus completions across Dunkirk, Bosquel, and Bouchain tracking for full delivery by 2031 |
Investment Details
| Header | Details |
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| Total Investment | €45.0 Billion ($52.2 Billion USD) allocated for Phase 1 regional deployment |
| Funding | Direct corporate equity capital allocations from SoftBank Group, paired with multi-tiered debt financing through global institutional syndicates |