Hyperscale data centre campus developer Vantage Data Centers opened its first data centre in Africa on its Johannesburg campus, offering 16 MW of critical information technology (IT) capacity, after breaking ground in 2021.

The two-storey facility stretches across 12 000 m² and the project was delivered in ten months, ten days ahead of schedule, with zero lost-time incidents over 1.5-million working hours.

The investment totalled more than $1-billion, and Vantage’s 12 ha campus will include 80 MW of IT capacity and more than 60 000 m² across three data centres once fully developed, the company says.

The campus is located in Waterfall City and complements the area’s thriving data centre ecosystem and leverages its fibre connectivity to the rest of Africa.

Further, the campus aligns with the company’s commitment to sustainability, offering renewable energy options, limiting carbon emissions and maintaining energy efficient operations with an industry-leading power usage effectiveness. In June, Vantage announced it had entered a 20-year power purchase agreement with SolarAfrica to support the production of 87 MW of renewable energy to supplement the local grid that powers the campus.

“Our rapid turnaround on the construction of our first Johannesburg facility has allowed us to more quickly meet demand for hyperscale data centres in the area,” said Vantage Data Centers Europe, Middle East and Africa COO Justin Jenkins.

“At Vantage, we pride ourselves on not only our speed to market, but also our commitment to become part of the local community and cement our reputation as a reliable data centre partner in the region. This project created hundreds of jobs that will continue into the next phase of construction, and we thank our teams for their dedication and commitment to deliver such a high-quality product for our customers,” he adds.

Meanwhile, Vantage has also broken ground on a second facility at its second campus in Frankfurt. The 16 MW, 12 000 m² facility is sited on 3 ha, in Raunheim.

Frankfurt II marks Vantage’s ninth campus in Europe, Middle East and Africa, six of which are now operational (Berlin I, Cardiff, Frankfurt I, Johannesburg, Warsaw and Zurich).

As Vantage continues its rapid global development to meet customer demand, the company continues to prioritise sustainability and environmental responsibility while delivering highly reliable data centre services, it says.