Merlin and Iberdrola Bid for AI Gigafactory in Arasur with Portuguese EDP Support
Merlin, in collaboration with Iberdrola and EDP, is bidding to establish one of five European AI gigafactories in Arasur, alongside data centers in Lisbon and Getafe. The project, which plans to utilize energy from the Ekienea photovoltaic complex and aims for operational data centers by autumn 2027, faces competition from a consortium led by Telefónica and ACS proposing a rival gigafactory in Tarragona. The final proposal will be submitted following the EU's announcement of selection criteria.
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Merlin is pursuing a bid to host one of five European AI gigafactories in conjunction with Iberdrola and EDP. The project includes data centers in Arasur and Lisbon, with additional infrastructure in Getafe.
The proposal will be formally submitted when the EU announces selection criteria, amidst competition from a public-private consortium led by Telefónica and ACS, which proposes a gigafactory in Móra la Nova, Tarragona, with a €5 billion investment. The Catalan proposal is backed by a quantum supercomputer in Barcelona and includes Nvidia and other tech firms.
Merlin's project benefits from construction progress in Arasur, with two data centers expected to be operational by autumn 2027. Energy for the data centers will be sourced from Ekienea, the largest photovoltaic complex in Euskadi, with a capacity of over 100 megawatts. Other data centers are also planned by Solaria in Álava, aiming for significant renewable energy integration.
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