Executive Summary

This article examines the 20 largest data centers in the world as of November 2025. Several clear trends emerge from examining these facilities:

Geopolitics-Based Centralization

Geographic clustering matters—China dominates with multiple massive sites, while the United States concentrates facilities in strategically advantageous locations like Northern Virginia and Nevada. 

Increasing Renewable Energy Integration

Sustainability has become paramount, with operators increasingly turning to renewable energy sources, from Norway’s hydroelectric power to natural cooling in Portugal’s coldest region. 

Size Isn’t Everything – It’s The Power Capacity That Matters

Power capacity has become the new battleground, with facilities like Kolos pushing toward unprecedented 1,000 MW capabilities to meet AI‘s insatiable computational demands.

Introduction

Consisting of critical computing hardware, such as servers, storage systems, and networking equipment organized into racks, alongside specialized secondary infrastructure providing power and cooling, data centers are facilities designed to store and compute vast amounts of data efficiently and securely. 

As the backbone of our digital infrastructure, data centers power cloud computing, facilitate real-time communications, and are vital for the scaling of artificial intelligence – supporting, for example, the massive computational demands of AI training and inference.

The World’s Largest Data Centers

The world’s largest data centers span millions of square feet, consume hundreds of megawatts of power, and represent billion-dollar investments in cutting-edge technology.

These 20 facilities represent the largest and most significant data center operations globally. Together, they illustrate the massive scale of infrastructure required to support modern digital services, with combined areas exceeding 30 million square feet and power consumption rivaling that of medium-sized cities.

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

• Size: 994,062 square meters (10.7 million square feet)
• Power Capacity: 150 MW

The China Telecom-Inner Mongolia Information Park stands as the largest data center in the world by area, covering approximately 994,062 square meters (10.7 million square feet). Located in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, this massive facility provides services for major companies including Alibaba, Tencent, and Baidu. The site operates with 150 megawatts of power capacity distributed across six data halls. Construction costs reached approximately $2.6-3 billion, making it one of the most expensive data center projects globally. The facility encompasses not just computing infrastructure but also call centers, warehouses, and offices to provide comprehensive services. CEO Ke Ruiwen oversees China Telecom’s operations, which include this flagship facility.

2. The Citadel Campus (Tahoe Reno, Nevada, USA)

• Size: 668,901 square meters (7.2 million square feet)
• Power Capacity: 650 MW

Switch Inc.’s Citadel Campus in Tahoe Reno, Nevada represents one of the world’s most extensive data center sites, covering 668,901 square meters (7.2 million square feet) across multiple buildings. The campus holds the distinction of being the world’s largest colocation data center and operates with up to 650 megawatts of power capacity. Its largest single facility, TAHOE RENO 1, comprises 1.4 million square feet with 130 megawatts of power capacity. The entire campus achieved Tier IV certification, the highest standard for data center reliability. Construction costs reached an estimated $1.3 billion, though the campus was initially valued at $1.5 billion. All facilities run entirely on renewable energy. Under CEO Rob Roy’s leadership, Switch has created what many consider one of the most advanced data center complexes globally.

3. Alibaba Cloud Zhangbei Data Center (Zhangbei County, China)

• Size: 667,972 square meters (7.19 million square feet)
• Power Capacity: 150 MW

Alibaba’s massive data center in Zhangbei County, China spans approximately 667,972 square meters (7.19 million square feet), making it one of Asia’s largest facilities. The center operates with 150 megawatts of power and features 52 buildings, each capable of housing 50,000 data racks. Construction costs exceeded $2.9 billion, reflecting the facility’s enormous scale and advanced infrastructure. Located in a region with favorable climate conditions for cooling, the center supports Alibaba Cloud’s growing suite of services. CEO Eddie Wu oversees operations at this critical facility, which plays a central role in China’s cloud computing infrastructure.

4. China Mobile Data Center (Hohhot, China)

• Size: 659,611 square meters (7.1 million square feet)
• Power Capacity: 200 MW

Also located in Hohhot’s Inner Mongolia Information Park, China Mobile’s facility covers 659,611 square meters (7.1 million square feet). It surpasses many competitors in power capacity with 200 megawatts and computing capability. The smart computing center boasts one of the largest computing capacities of any single intelligent computing hub worldwide, with total computing power reaching 6.7 EFLOPS (6.7 billion floating-point operations per second). The facility deploys approximately 20,000 artificial intelligence accelerator cards and has space for 9,000 racks accommodating 100,000 servers. Rumors suggest possible expansion projects that would add even more capacity. The center operates in Heilongjiang Province under the leadership of CEO Zhang Yingjian.

5. Kolos Data Center (Ballangen, Norway)

• Size: 603,869 square meters (6.5 million square feet)
• Power Capacity: Up to 1,000 MW

The Kolos Data Center in Ballangen, Norway represents an ambitious project covering 603,869 square meters (6.5 million square feet). The facility’s standout feature is its unprecedented power capacity of up to 1,000 megawatts, the highest of any data center globally. Norway’s abundant renewable hydroelectric power and naturally cool climate make it an ideal location for such a massive facility. Despite its scale, initial construction costs were reported at just $10 million, though this likely represents early-stage investment rather than total project costs. CEO Håvard Lillebo leads operations at this facility, which leverages Norway’s sustainable energy advantages.

6. Range International Information Hub (Langfang, China)

• Size: 585,289 square meters (6.3 million square feet)
• Power Capacity: 150 MW

Located in Langfang, Hebei Province near Beijing, the Range International Information Hub covers 585,289 square meters (approximately 6.3 million square feet). The facility operates with an estimated 150 megawatts of power capacity and was built in collaboration with IBM. Total investment reached approximately $3 billion, with IBM CEO Arvind Krishna partnering on the project. The center’s proximity to Beijing positions it strategically for serving China’s technology sector and government infrastructure needs.

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

• Size: 325,000 square meters (3.5 million square feet)
• Power Capacity: 315 MW

Switch’s SuperNAP facility in Las Vegas covers approximately 325,000 square meters (3.5 million square feet) across its planned campus. The center operates with roughly 315 megawatts of power capacity, expandable to 495 megawatts. Total investment has exceeded $1.1 billion. CEO Rob Roy designed the facility to meet exacting standards, earning it multiple Tier IV certifications. The Las Vegas location provides strategic connectivity advantages and access to diverse power sources.

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

• Size: 269,000 square meters (2.9 million square feet)
• Power Capacity: 100+ MW

Google’s Council Bluffs facility spans approximately 269,000 square meters (2.9 million square feet) across multiple buildings. Operating with over 100 megawatts of power capacity, the center represents one of Google’s largest investments in data center infrastructure. Total investment has exceeded $5.5 billion when including recent expansions, making it one of the most expensive facilities globally. CEO Sundar Pichai oversees Google’s data center operations, which support the company’s search, cloud, and AI services. The Iowa location benefits from favorable energy costs and climate conditions for efficient operations.

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

• Size: 185,806 square meters (2 million square feet)
• Power Capacity: 148 MW

Vantage Data Centers’ CWL1 campus in Newport, Wales stands as one of Europe’s largest data center facilities, covering approximately 185,806 square meters (2 million square feet). The campus operates with 148 megawatts of power capacity, expandable to over 180 megawatts. Built to exceed Tier III standards, CWL1 offers rack densities ranging from 2 kilowatts to more than 125 kilowatts, accommodating diverse customer requirements. The facility has maintained 100% uptime since opening in 2010, demonstrating exceptional reliability. Construction costs reached an estimated $1.3 billion. Under the leadership of Global CEO Sureel Choksi, Vantage has created an ultra-secure campus with fast cloud and fiber connectivity services.

10. Utah Data Center (Bluffdale, Utah, USA)

• Size: 130,064 square meters (1.4 million square feet)
• Power Capacity: 65 MW

The National Security Agency’s Utah Data Center, code-named Bumblehive, covers 130,064 square meters (1.4 million square feet). Built at a cost of $1.5 billion and completed in 2014, the facility operates with 65 megawatts of power capacity. As the first Intelligence Community Comprehensive National Cyber-security Initiative data center, it supports national security operations. The center stores an estimated 4.5 exabytes of data and earned Tier III certification. General Paul M. Nakasone, as NSA Director, oversees operations at this highly secure facility.

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

• Size: 120,773 square meters (1.3 million square feet)
• Power Capacity: 70-130 MW

QTS Realty Trust’s Metro Data Center in Atlanta covers approximately 120,773 square meters (1.3 million square feet). The campus operates with 70-130 megawatts of power capacity, supported by 46 generators and 24 independent UPS systems. Two discrete substations provide electrical redundancy and power three on-site 40MVA transformers. The facility features automated management systems controlling critical power systems and environmental conditions. As the largest of QTS’s 25 data centers, spanning over 7 million square feet of total space, it represents a key asset in the company’s portfolio. Founder Chad Williams established QTS as a real estate investment trust dedicated to hybrid colocation and hyperscale solutions, though the company is now privately held by Blackstone.

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

• Size: 120,773 square meters (1.3 million square feet)
• Power Capacity: 50 MW

Apple’s Mesa Data Center spans approximately 120,773 square meters (1.3 million square feet). The facility opened in 2017 and operates with 50 megawatts of power capacity, fully supplied by renewable energy from its own on-site solar farm. Apple invested over $2 billion in the site, which serves as the company’s global data command center. The facility monitors applications including iMessage, Siri, and iCloud while employing approximately 150 people. CEO Tim Cook oversees Apple’s data center strategy, which emphasizes sustainability and operational efficiency.

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

• Size: 102,193 square meters (1.1 million square feet)
• Power Capacity: 100 MW

Digital Realty’s Lakeside Technology Center covers 102,193 square meters (1.1 million square feet) across eight stories. Originally built as a printing facility, it was retrofitted in the 1990s and now operates as one of the largest carrier hotels in the United States. The center provides 100 megawatts of power capacity and houses multiple operators including Equinix, Centersquare, Colocation America, and ColoHouse. Cumulative upgrades and tenant investments have created an estimated value around $2 billion. CEO Andy Power leads Digital Realty’s operations at this flagship Chicago facility, which serves as a critical telecommunications hub.

14. Tulip Data Center (Bangalore, India)

• Size: Over 92,903 square meters (1 million square feet)
• Power Capacity: 100 MW

Tulip Data Center, also known as Tulip Data City, covers over 92,903 square meters (1 million square feet) in Bangalore, India. Built in 2012, the facility was owned by Tulip Telecom Ltd, an Indian telecommunications service provider, and set up in collaboration with IBM to support connections for the 2,000 locations Tulip has reached within India. The data center consists of four towers, each with seven floors—five designated as data center space and the remaining two as housing facilities. In total, the four towers house 20 enterprise modular data centers and at full capacity can deliver 100 megawatts of industrial power. The design achieves Seismic Zone 4 specifications and incorporates extensive physical security features including video camera surveillance and security breach alarms. The facility represents India’s push to build world-class data center infrastructure, with tech giants like Microsoft and AWS planning additional hyperscale facilities in the region over the past decade.

15. QTS Metro Data Center (Ashburn, Virginia, USA)

• Size: 90,116 square meters (970,000 square feet)
• Power Capacity: 250 MW

QTS’s second major facility in Ashburn, Virginia covers approximately 90,116 square meters (970,000 square feet). Operating with 250 megawatts of power capacity, this facility serves the critical Northern Virginia market, which hosts about 13% of global data center capacity. The Ashburn location benefits from proximity to “Data Center Alley,” where hundreds of facilities concentrate to serve cloud providers, government agencies, and enterprises. This facility complements QTS’s Atlanta operations and demonstrates the company’s strategic positioning in America’s two largest data center markets.

16. Yotta NM1 (Panvel, India)

• Size: 76,180 square meters (820,000 square feet)
• Power Capacity: 50 MW

Yotta Infrastructure’s NM1 facility in Panvel, Maharashtra covers 76,180 square meters (820,000 square feet). Operating with 50 megawatts of power capacity (expandable to 60 megawatts), the center accommodates 30,000 racks. Total investment exceeded $1.1 billion for the full data center park. CEO Sunil Gupta leads Yotta’s operations as the company positions itself in India’s rapidly growing data center market. The facility represents one of India’s largest and most advanced data centers.

17. Covilhã Data Center (Covilhã, Portugal)

• Size: 75,000 square meters (807,000 square feet)
• Power Capacity: 12 MW

Altice Portugal’s facility in Covilhã covers approximately 75,000 square meters (807,000 square feet), making it one of Europe’s largest single-site data centers. The location was strategically chosen as Portugal’s coldest region, providing natural cooling advantages. Operating with approximately 12 megawatts of scalable power capacity, the center was completed in 2013 with an estimated cost of €90 million or more. The sustainable facility combines advanced IT technology with progressive architecture. First offering 129,000 square feet of colocation space across 24 data halls with capacity for over 50,000 servers, it was expanded in 2018 and achieved Tier III certification. CEO Alexandre Fonseca oversees Altice Portugal’s operations.

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

• Size: 74,322 square meters (800,000 square feet)
• Power Capacity: 30-50 MW

Microsoft’s Quincy facility covers approximately 74,322 square meters (800,000 square feet). The center operates with 30-50 megawatts of power capacity, though total investment details remain undisclosed (estimated around $3 billion for Microsoft’s broader Washington state investments). CEO Satya Nadella oversees Microsoft’s global data center strategy, which has expanded rapidly to support Azure cloud services and AI capabilities. The Quincy location benefits from access to renewable hydroelectric power and favorable operating conditions.

19. FRA 1 (Frankfurt, Germany)

• Size: 57,000 square meters (613,500 square feet)
• Power Capacity: 60 MW

NTT Global Data Centers’ FRA 1 facility covers approximately 57,000 square meters (613,500 square feet) across its Frankfurt campus. Operating with roughly 60 megawatts of power capacity, the center cost over €300 million to construct. As one of Europe’s major data center hubs, Frankfurt provides strategic connectivity to global networks. President & CEO Doug Adams leads NTT Global Data Centers’ operations, which serve customers across multiple continents.

20. Google Cloud Platform Loudoun County Hyperscale Zone (Virginia, USA)

• Size: 18,580 square meters (200,000 square feet)
• Power Capacity: undisclosed

Google’s Loudoun County facility covers 18,580 square meters (200,000 square feet), though power capacity details remain unclear. The facility represents approximately $4.2 billion in investment, reflecting the high costs of building in Northern Virginia’s competitive data center market. CEO Thomas Kurian oversees Google Cloud operations, which rely heavily on Northern Virginia’s concentration of data center infrastructure and fiber connectivity.

Final Thoughts

As artificial intelligence continues its rapid advancement, and with AI training and inference already consuming hundreds of megawatts of power, we should expect energy and data infrastructure requirements to only intensify as we hit the wall on supply.

What’s the price of power? 

Expect the data centers of tomorrow to dwarf the massive facilities documented here. One day, sadly, the national park your child wants to explore may be a forest of data centers, solar panels, and nuclear reactors.

Thanks for reading!

Appendix

The table below shows key facts on the world’s 20 largest data centers, including location, size, and power capacity, gathered from the article data.