Brightlio Blog

Every app you open, video you stream, or file you save is backed by a data center somewhere. But some aren’t just big, they are absolute monsters.

These facilities are the backbone of modern tech, built to handle everything from cloud storage to national security. Let’s cut through the noise and look at the biggest data centers in the world and what makes them impossible to ignore.

In this list, we are spotlighting the 15 biggest ones and breaking down why they matter in a world that runs on data.

15 Largest Data Centers in the World

Here’s a detailed list of the 15 largest data centers worldwide, ranked from the smallest to the largest. The biggest data center is at the bottom, so keep scrolling to discover it!

For a quick comparison, we’ve also included a table below:

15 Largest Data Centers in the World Comparison Table

Rank	Data Center Name	Location	Power Capacity (MW)	Area (sq. meters)	Cost (€/$)	CEO
15	FRA 1	Frankfurt, Germany	60	57,000	€300 million	Doug Adams
14	Covilhã Data Center	Covilhã, Portugal	12	75,000	€90 million+	Alexandre Fonseca
13	Microsoft Data Center	Quincy, Washington, USA	30-50	74,322	Undisclosed (estimated at $3B)	Satya Nadella
12	Yotta NM1	Panvel, India	50	76,180	$1.1 billion+	Sunil Gupta
11	Lakeside Technology Center	Chicago, Illinois, USA	100	102,193	Around $2 billion	Andy Power
10	Apple Mesa Data Center	Mesa, Arizona, USA	50	120,773	Over $2 billion	Tim Cook
9	QTS Metro Data Center	Atlanta, Georgia, USA	70-130	90,116	Undisclosed	Chad Williams
8	Utah NSA Data Center	Bluffdale, Utah, USA	65	130,064	$1.5 billion	General Paul M. Nakasone
7	CWL1 Data Centre	Newport, Wales, UK	148	185,806	Estimated $1.3 billion	Sureel Choksi
6	Google Data Center	Council Bluffs, Iowa, USA	100	269,000	Over $5.5 billion	Sundar Pichai
5	Switch SuperNAP	Las Vegas, Nevada, USA	315	325,000	Over $1.1 billion	Rob Roy
4	Range International Information Hub	Langfang, Hebei Province, China	150	585,000	Approx. $2.6–3 billion	Arvind Krishna
3	Harbin Data Center	Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China	200	663,000	N/A	No public CEO listed
2	The Citadel – Switch	Tahoe Reno, Nevada, USA	650	668,901	Estimated at $1.3 billion	Rob Roy
1	China Telecom – Inner Mongolia Information Park	Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China	150	994,062	Approx. $2.6–3 billion	Ke Ruiwen

15. FRA 1 (Frankfurt, Germany)

• Company: NTT Global Data Centers
• Location: Frankfurt, Germany
• Power Capacity: Approx. 60 MW (across campus)
• Area: Approx. 57,000 sq. meters (613,500 sq. ft)
• Cost: Over €300 million
• CEO: Doug Adams (President & CEO, NTT Global Data Centers)

Summary:
FRA 1 is one of NTT’s flagship data centers in Frankfurt, situated within one of Europe’s most critical interconnection hubs. Designed to support enterprise, hyperscale, and cloud workloads, the facility spans over 613,000 square feet and delivers up to 60 MW of IT load across its modular infrastructure.

Frankfurt’s reputation as a high-speed connectivity core—home to the DE-CIX Internet Exchange—makes FRA 1 a vital location for clients demanding ultra-low latency and high bandwidth. The facility adheres to Tier III+ standards and features advanced physical and cyber security systems, high energy efficiency, and full compliance with GDPR and ISO certifications.

NTT powers FRA 1 with 100% renewable electricity, aligning with its long-term sustainability targets. With scalable buildouts and access to a dense network ecosystem, FRA 1 plays a major role in supporting digital transformation across finance, manufacturing, and tech industries throughout Europe.

14. Covilhã Data Center (Covilhã, Portugal)

• Company: Altice Portugal (formerly Portugal Telecom)
• Location: Covilhã, Portugal
• Power Capacity: Approx. 12 MW (scalable)
• Area: Approx. 75,000 sq. meters (807,000 sq. ft)
• Cost: Estimated €90 million+
• CEO: Alexandre Fonseca (Altice Portugal)

Summary:
The Covilhã Data Center, operated by Altice Portugal, is the largest data center in Portugal and one of the most energy-efficient in Europe. Located in the Serra da Estrela mountain region, the facility takes advantage of the cool, dry climate to reduce energy consumption, particularly in cooling operations. It spans over 807,000 square feet and supports cloud services, enterprise hosting, and critical IT infrastructure for both national and international clients.

This Tier III-certified facility incorporates green design principles, including 100% renewable energy usage (mainly hydro and solar), free-air cooling, and advanced virtualization technologies to lower carbon output. The site is built with seismic resistance and modular expansion in mind, offering scalability for future demand. With its strong focus on sustainability and resilience, the Covilhã Data Center is a strategic digital backbone for Portugal’s digital economy and telecom infrastructure.

13. Microsoft Data Center (Quincy, Washington, USA)

• Company: Microsoft
• Location: Quincy, Washington, USA
• Power Capacity: Approx. 30–50 MW
• Area: Approx. 74,322 sq. meters (800,000 sq. ft)
• Total Investment: Hundreds of millions (not publicly confirmed as $3B)
• CEO: Satya Nadella

Summary:
Microsoft’s Quincy data center is one of the company’s earliest and most strategically located facilities in its global cloud network. Opened in 2007 and expanded multiple times since, the campus covers approximately 800,000 square feet and operates with an estimated power capacity between 30 and 50 megawatts. While some sources loosely suggest multi-billion-dollar figures across Microsoft’s broader infrastructure, the exact investment in Quincy alone remains undisclosed—but likely in the high hundreds of millions.

What sets Quincy apart is its access to exceptionally cheap, renewable hydroelectric power from the Columbia River, which enables Microsoft to maintain low operating costs and align with its carbon-negative goals. The site benefits from a naturally cool, dry climate, reducing reliance on artificial cooling. Over the years, Microsoft has used this location to pioneer advanced sustainability initiatives, including grid-interactive energy systems and water conservation strategies. The Quincy facility plays a central role in hosting services like Azure and Office 365 while serving as a benchmark for energy-efficient hyperscale design.

12. Yotta NM1 (Panvel, India)

• Company: Yotta Infrastructure
• Location: Panvel, Maharashtra, India
• Power Capacity: 50 MW (expandable to 60 MW)
• Area: 76,180 sq. meters (820,000 sq. ft)
• Cost: Over $1.1 billion (for full data center park)
• CEO: Sunil Gupta

Summary:
Yotta NM1, located in Panvel near Mumbai, is the largest Tier IV certified data center in Asia and one of the most advanced globally. Spanning 820,000 square feet, the facility delivers 50 MW of IT power capacity, scalable up to 60 MW, with space for over 7,000 server racks. It’s built to handle mission-critical workloads with fully redundant power and cooling systems, and is engineered to withstand earthquakes and other disasters.

NM1 is part of the larger Yotta Data Center Park, a multi-phase project that will eventually support up to 200 MW across multiple buildings. Its location near Mumbai ensures high-speed connectivity via proximity to undersea cable landing stations and major business districts. Backed by its own on-site 220kV power substation and designed with energy efficiency in mind, NM1 aligns with India’s ambitions to be a global digital hub. Led by CEO Sunil Gupta, Yotta has positioned this facility as a cornerstone for secure, compliant, and scalable digital infrastructure for clients in sectors like banking, telecom, healthcare, and government.

11. Lakeside Technology Center (Chicago, Illinois, USA)

• Company: Digital Realty
• Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA
• Power Capacity: Approx. 100 MW
• Area: 102,193 sq. meters (1.1 million sq. ft)
• Cost: Estimated value around $2 billion (cumulative upgrades & tenant investments)
• CEO: Andy Power (CEO of Digital Realty)

Summary:
The Lakeside Technology Center at 350 East Cermak in Chicago is one of the most prominent carrier hotels and multi-tenant data centers in North America. Spanning 1.1 million square feet, it delivers approximately 100 MW of power and houses a dense concentration of financial institutions, healthcare providers, content platforms, and cloud service operators that require ultra-low-latency and high-availability infrastructure.

Originally a printing facility, the building has been fully converted into a high-density digital hub with direct access to dozens of network carriers and Internet exchanges. A unique efficiency feature is its chilled water cooling system that leverages Lake Michigan’s water supply—cutting operational costs while maintaining thermal reliability. Owned and managed by Digital Realty, Lakeside is a cornerstone in Chicago’s digital backbone, providing critical connectivity and infrastructure to support industries where uptime, speed, and redundancy are non-negotiable.

10. Apple Mesa Data Center (Mesa, Arizona, USA)

• Company: Apple
• Location: Mesa, Arizona, USA
• Power Capacity: Approx. 50 MW (fully powered by renewable energy)
• Area: Approx. 120,773 sq. meters (1.3 million sq. ft)
• Total Investment: Over $2 billion
• CEO: Tim Cook

Summary:
Apple’s Mesa data center is a critical piece of the company’s global digital infrastructure, acting as a command hub for core services such as iMessage, Siri, iCloud, and Apple Music. The 1.3 million square foot facility—originally built as a sapphire glass factory—has been completely converted into a hyperscale data operation with a focus on security, sustainability, and efficiency.

The site operates on approximately 50 MW of power, entirely sourced from renewable energy, including on-site solar and contracted solar farms throughout Arizona. Mesa’s dry climate and stable power grid contribute to operational stability, while Apple’s clean energy initiatives ensure the facility aligns with the company’s broader carbon-neutral commitments. The Mesa center reflects Apple’s core values: privacy, reliability, and environmental responsibility—all tightly integrated into its digital backbone.

9. QTS Metro Data Center (Atlanta, Georgia, USA)

• Company: QTS Realty Trust
• Location: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
• Power Capacity: Approx. 70–130 MW
• Area: Approx. 90,116 sq. meters (970,000 sq. ft)
• CEO: Chad Williams (Founder; QTS now privately held by Blackstone)

Summary:
The QTS Metro Data Center in Atlanta is one of the largest enterprise-grade facilities in the southeastern United States. Built within a former industrial complex, the site spans nearly 1 million square feet and delivers up to 130 MW of power to support high-density, mission-critical workloads. It includes a dedicated Georgia Power substation and is certified LEED Gold for energy efficiency.

Strategically located near downtown Atlanta, the facility provides direct access to major fiber routes and Internet exchanges, enabling low-latency connectivity across the East Coast. QTS offers colocation, hybrid cloud, and managed services from this campus, serving industries such as finance, healthcare, media, and government—all with top-tier security and compliance capabilities.

8. Utah NSA Data Center (Bluffdale, Utah, USA)

• Organization: National Security Agency (NSA)
• Location: Bluffdale, Utah, USA
• Power Capacity: 65 MW
• Area: 130,064 sq. meters (1.4 million sq. ft)
• Cost: $1.5 billion
• Director: General Paul M. Nakasone (NSA Director)

Summary:
The Utah Data Center, also known as the Intelligence Community Comprehensive National Cybersecurity Initiative Data Center, is operated by the NSA and located at Camp Williams near Bluffdale, Utah. This 1.4 million square foot facility is designed to process and store vast volumes of classified data, supporting the NSA’s surveillance, decryption, and cybersecurity operations worldwide.

Powered by 65 megawatts of electricity, the center is built for intense computational loads and long-term data retention. It features sophisticated security protocols, advanced cooling systems, and specialized infrastructure to support national intelligence efforts. The facility reportedly consumes tens of millions of gallons of water annually for cooling and is considered one of the most secure and mission-critical sites in the U.S. intelligence ecosystem. Its location in Utah offers physical security, stable climate, and reliable grid access, making it ideal for around-the-clock classified operations.

7. CWL1 Data Centre (Newport, Wales, UK)

• Company: Vantage Data Centers
• Location: Newport, Wales, UK
• Power Capacity: Approx. 148 MW (expandable to 180+ MW)
• Area: Approx. 185,806 sq. meters (2 million sq. ft)
• CEO: Sureel Choksi (Global CEO, Vantage Data Centers)

Summary:
CWL1 is one of the largest data center campuses in Europe, located near Newport in South Wales. Originally developed by Next Generation Data (NGD) and now operated by Vantage Data Centers, the site spans roughly 2 million square feet and delivers approximately 148 MW of critical power capacity, with potential to scale beyond 180 MW.

The facility exceeds Tier III standards and is designed for hyperscale deployments, high-density workloads, and enterprise-grade infrastructure. It features a private 400kV connection to the UK National Grid, enabling massive power availability with high resilience. CWL1 operates on 100% renewable energy, primarily sourced from hydroelectric power in Wales, and benefits from the region’s naturally cool climate to reduce cooling costs. Since going live in 2010, the site has maintained a flawless uptime record and continues to serve global cloud providers and enterprises with high security, energy efficiency, and scalable configurations.

6. Google Data Center (Council Bluffs, Iowa, USA)

• Company: Google
• Location: Council Bluffs, Iowa, USA
• Power Capacity: Over 100 MW
• Area: Approx. 269,000 sq. meters (2.9 million sq. ft across multiple buildings)
• Total Investment: Over $5.5 billion (including recent expansions)
• CEO: Sundar Pichai (CEO of Google)

Summary:
Google’s data center campus in Council Bluffs, Iowa, is one of its largest and most strategic U.S. operations hubs. Operational since 2009 and now spanning approximately 2.9 million square feet across multiple facilities, the campus powers core services such as Google Search, Gmail, YouTube, and Google Cloud infrastructure.

With more than $5.5 billion invested to date—including a $1 billion expansion announced in 2023—this site underscores Google’s long-term commitment to the region. The center operates on over 100 megawatts of power and is supported by clean energy sources, aligning with Google’s global renewable energy goals. The Iowa location offers advantages like low-cost electricity, a strong fiber network, and geographic stability.

Google has also contributed significantly to local sustainability efforts, including more than $1.3 million in community environmental grants. This campus is a cornerstone of Google’s global infrastructure strategy, enabling massive compute, storage, and AI capabilities at scale.

5. Switch SuperNAP (Las Vegas, Nevada, USA)

• Company: Switch
• Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
• Power Capacity: Approx. 315 MW (expandable up to 495 MW)
• Area: Approx. 325,000 sq. meters (3.5 million sq. ft planned across campus)
• CEO: Rob Roy

Summary:
The Switch SuperNAP campus in Las Vegas is one of the most advanced and expansive data center ecosystems in the United States. Designed by Switch founder Rob Roy, the campus spans over 2 million square feet currently, with planned expansion up to 3.5 million square feet. It delivers around 315 MW of power across multiple facilities, with infrastructure in place to scale up to 495 MW.

The SuperNAP campus is built using Switch’s proprietary high-density, modular designs and supports mission-critical operations for enterprise, hyperscale, and government clients. It features Tier 5 data center standards—Switch’s internal rating for the highest levels of redundancy, security, and sustainability.

The entire facility is powered by 100% renewable energy via Switch’s Green Power program, which includes large-scale solar partnerships. As a major interconnection hub, SuperNAP provides direct access to dozens of carriers and network exchanges, supporting ultra-low latency and high availability. The campus reflects Switch’s long-term vision of secure, scalable, and energy-efficient digital infrastructure.

4. Range International Information Hub (Langfang, Hebei Province, China)

• Company: Range International Information Group (in partnership with IBM)
• Location: Langfang, Hebei Province, China
• Power Capacity: Approx. 150 MW
• Area: Approx. 585,000 sq. meters (6.3 million sq. ft)
• Key Partner Executive: Arvind Krishna (CEO of IBM)

Summary:
The Range International Information Hub in Langfang is one of China’s largest and most advanced state-backed data center campuses. Spanning 6.3 million square feet and delivering an estimated 150 megawatts of power, the facility was developed in partnership with IBM to support China’s expanding cloud computing, big data, and AI capabilities—particularly for government and enterprise use.

Strategically located between Beijing and Tianjin, the hub is a critical node in the country’s digital backbone, offering direct access to China’s high-speed fiber network infrastructure. It provides secure data processing and storage for public and private sectors, with a focus on data sovereignty and national cybersecurity.

While often linked to IBM for its early design and technical contributions, the facility is operated by Range International Information Group. The center represents a major investment in China’s long-term digital strategy and serves as a benchmark for hyperscale infrastructure development within the region.

3. Harbin Data Center (Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China)

• Company: China Mobile
• Location: Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China
• Power Capacity: Approx. 200 MW
• Area: Approx. 663,000 sq. meters (7.1 million sq. ft)
• Operator: China Mobile (No publicly listed CEO specific to this facility)

Summary:
The Harbin Data Center, operated by China Mobile, is one of the largest data infrastructure projects in northeastern China. Covering roughly 7.1 million square feet and drawing an estimated 200 megawatts of power, the facility plays a central role in China Mobile’s national cloud and telecom network.

Built to support a mix of government, enterprise, and telecom workloads, the center is part of China’s larger push to scale its domestic data capabilities while shifting infrastructure into cooler, energy-efficient northern regions. Harbin’s cold climate naturally lowers cooling costs, which is key for a hyperscale site of this magnitude.

While many operational details remain restricted, the facility is designed for high-capacity data storage, cloud computing, and AI deployments, reflecting China’s broader goals for digital sovereignty, regional development, and efficient resource use.

2. The Citadel – Switch (Tahoe Reno, Nevada, USA)

• Company: Switch
• Location: Tahoe Reno Industrial Center, Nevada, USA
• Power Capacity: Up to 650 MW
• Area: Approx. 668,901 sq. meters (7.2 million sq. ft planned)
• Cost: Estimated at $1.3 billion
• CEO: Rob Roy

Summary:
The Citadel Campus, operated by Switch, is one of the largest and most energy-efficient data center ecosystems in the world. Located in the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center, the campus is master-planned to span over 7.2 million square feet and deliver up to 650 megawatts of power to meet hyperscale demand from enterprise, government, and tech clients.

The site runs entirely on renewable energy through Switch’s massive solar and storage investments in Nevada, aligning with its commitment to 100% green power. Designed with Switch’s Tier 5 standards, the Citadel offers extreme physical security, modular scalability, and low-latency connectivity through direct fiber access to major U.S. network hubs.

Its location in northern Nevada minimizes exposure to natural disasters while maximizing cooling efficiency due to the desert climate. The Citadel is a flagship example of high-performance infrastructure built for sustainability, reliability, and future-proof expansion.

1. China Telecom – Inner Mongolia Information Park (Hohhot, China)

• Company: China Telecom
• Location: Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
• Power Capacity: Approx. 150 MW
• Area: Approx. 994,062 sq. meters (10.7 million sq. ft)
• Cost: Approx. $2.6–3 billion
• CEO: Ke Ruiwen

Summary:
Located in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, the China Telecom Information Park is one of the largest data center complexes in Asia—and the world. Spanning over 10.7 million square feet and drawing roughly 150 megawatts of power, the facility is built to handle massive volumes of data for cloud services, telecom infrastructure, government systems, and enterprise clients across China.

Designed with modular scalability in mind, the site includes dozens of high-capacity buildings and is connected directly to China Telecom’s nationwide fiber backbone. Its location in northern China takes advantage of a naturally cold climate to reduce cooling costs and improve energy efficiency, while also minimizing disaster risk.

This facility is central to China’s national strategy to boost domestic data capacity, reduce reliance on foreign providers, and support the country’s rapidly growing digital economy. It provides secure, low-latency services to tech giants such as Tencent, Alibaba, and Baidu, making it a cornerstone of China’s information infrastructure.

What Is an AI Data Center?

An AI data center is a type of data center specifically designed to handle the massive computational and storage demands of artificial intelligence workloads.

It’s a high-performance facility optimized to run AI models, process big data, and support machine learning operations at scale. These centers are packed with specialized hardware like GPUs, TPUs, and high-bandwidth interconnects—far beyond the standard CPUs used in traditional data centers.

What Makes It Different from a Regular Data Center?

Feature	Traditional Data Center	AI Data Center
Main Workload	Web hosting, storage, apps	Training and running AI/ML models
Hardware	Mostly CPUs	GPUs, TPUs, NVMe storage, high-speed fabric
Power Needs	Moderate	Extremely high due to GPU-heavy workloads
Cooling	Standard	Advanced (liquid cooling, immersion, etc.)
Network	General-purpose	Ultra-low latency, high throughput
Use Cases	Websites, databases, email	Chatbots, computer vision, big data analytics

Final Thoughts 

China and the U.S. are leading the global data center race. China wins on raw size, while the U.S. leads in numbers and tech edge. The biggest facility? China Telecom’s 10.7 million square foot beast in Inner Mongolia, powering Tencent, Alibaba, and more. Right behind it is Harbin Data Center, proving China’s dead serious about owning its digital future.

In the U.S., data centers are everywhere, run by Google, Microsoft, Apple, Switch, and even the NSA. The Citadel in Nevada, owned by Switch, stands out with 650 megawatts of capacity and 7.2 million square feet of high-security, renewable-powered infrastructure.

India’s on the rise with Yotta NM1, a Tier IV data center signaling its push into the global digital spotlight. Europe’s heavyweight is CWL1 in Wales, clocking in at 148 megawatts with top-tier reliability.

Then there’s Norway’s Kolos project, still in development but aiming for a record-breaking 1,000 megawatts, banking on Arctic air and hydropower.

The global trend comes down to two things:

Scale rules. Bigger is better.

Efficiency is everything. Cold climates, green energy, and smart cooling are the new standard.

These aren’t just server farms. They’re the engines behind cloud, AI, surveillance, streaming, storage, and everything else plugged into our digital lives.