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US data center firm Vantage builds second campus in Italy
Vantage Data Centers will open a second campus in Milan, investing over €350 million (US$407 million) to add 32MW of IT capacity.
The global data center operator said the new MXP2 campus, located 15 kilometers from central Milan, will have two data centers spanning about 10,000 square meters, and is expected to be partially operational by spring 2026.
The Italian government recently recognized Vantage’s Milan campuses as nationally strategic infrastructure, and through this program, the company will invest roughly €4 billion (US$4.3 billion) and create an estimated 4,000 construction jobs and 250 permanent roles over eight years.
Vantage said the new site will use nature-based solutions for stormwater management and include green landscaping.
With both MXP1 and MXP2, the company’s total Italian capacity will reach 96MW.
🔗 Source: Vantage
🧠 Food for thought
Implications, context, and why it matters.
Milan’s grid upgrades may not guarantee on-time delivery for MXP2
- Italy’s grid operator Terna logged 300-plus data centre connection requests totaling over 50 GW by June 30, 2025, up from about 30 GW at end-2024 1. That level of demand puts Vantage’s spring 2026 plan at risk in a tight Milan grid.
- Terna plans €16.6 billion of investment for 2024-2028, with €10.8 billion for congestion relief 1. The Milan–Montalto High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) line in the 2025–2034 plan lands after 2030, so Castelletto gains no early capacity for MXP2 2.
- CyrusOne says its MIL2 site in Milan will not get dual 90 MVA high-voltage feeds at 220 kV until 2028 3. Even firm builds face multi-year waits that could push Vantage’s 2026 target.
Renewable developers can secure long-term PPAs with Milan data center operators and tech buyers
- European operator Data4 signed a 10-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Edison Energia for 500 GWh of solar from a 148 MW project in Lazio 4. The deal underscores demand for large clean power contracts.
- IT buyers accounted for 30% of announced PPA capacity in Europe in 2024, equal to 3.8 GW 5. Milan’s hyperscale cluster, including Vantage’s 96 MW total capacity, favors developers with projects near transmission hubs.
- Apple secured over 650 MW of new renewable capacity across Europe, including a 129 MW portfolio in Italy with projects in Sicily 6. Developers targeting Lombardy with 50-150 MW solar or wind timed for 2027-2028 can match operators’ 100% renewable goals ahead of peak AI loads.
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