Oman is planning a AED 11 billion artificial intelligence data centre with a capacity of up to 400MW. US-based AI infrastructure company Crusoe has expressed interest in becoming a potential customer for the project. Mubbadrah Investment is leading the consortium behind the proposed development. The project aims to attract large cloud computing companies and support major AI training and processing operations.
The announcement was made on October 24 during a signing ceremony in London. The event took place during Sultan Haitham bin Tarik's state visit to the UK. Crusoe's interest is an early indication of possible demand for the facility. However, the company has not signed a binding agreement to purchase or lease its capacity. The consortium expects to secure written confirmation of its interest in the coming weeks.
The project will receive power from a planned 400MW solar energy facility. Dubai-based O2 Global Energy will develop the solar plant with battery storage. The data centre will also connect to Oman's national electricity grid. The renewable energy component is expected to support the facility's large electricity requirements. The use of battery storage will help manage power supply when solar generation is unavailable.
Mubbadrah has brought several international partners into the project. Sustopia Capital is among the partners, while US-based Vela Tech will help design the facility and oversee construction. Vela Tech chief executive Jeff Fini said the company would use its experience from previous AI data centre developments. Its work includes involvement in the Stargate project in Abilene, Texas.
Mubbadrah Investment chief executive Yasser Albarami highlighted Oman's potential as a destination for AI infrastructure.
"Oman has the stability, the strategic location and the energy resources to become a regional home for AI infrastructure, and we are delighted to bring together partners with the capital, technology and experience to make that happen."
Several key details are still unavailable. The consortium has not announced the project site, construction schedule or financing structure. It has also not provided a completion date.
The initial AED 11 billion investment is expected to cover buildings, electricity, cooling systems, network connectivity and fibre infrastructure. Future tenants are expected to make separate investments in servers and specialised chips. The project comes as Oman expands its national digital economy program. Its latest phase includes plans for specialized AI data centres with capacity of up to 500MW.
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