Vantage Data Centers has confirmed a major AI infrastructure investment at its Newport campus, striking an agreement with Nasdaq-listed AI cloud company Nebius to deploy high-density, Nvidia-powered AI infrastructure at its CWL1 campus. This deployment represents the first announced commercial capacity commitment in the South Wales AI Growth Zone and will support growing UK demand for domestic AI compute capacity.
Deal Details and Capacity
Under the agreement, Nebius will lease high-density capacity at CWL1 to support AI training, inference, agentic AI and enterprise AI workloads. This capacity will serve enterprises, researchers, startups and public sector organisations seeking access to advanced AI infrastructure. The capacity is part of Nebius’ broader UK expansion and commitment to scale domestic AI compute capacity. In June, the company announced approximately £1.7bn of committed capacity buildout across four UK sites.
Vantage's Presence in Newport
The agreement builds on Vantage’s long-standing presence in Newport and reinforces the role hyperscale data centers play in enabling the UK’s AI economy. Operational since 2010 and one of Europe’s largest data center campuses, the CWL1 campus provides the scale, connectivity and power infrastructure required for high-density AI workloads. It serves a diverse base of hyperscale, enterprise and public sector customers.
Its electricity consumption is matched with 100% certified renewable energy, and its newest facilities are designed to minimize operational water consumption through a closed-loop cooling system that recirculates water rather than evaporating it. This is supported by air-cooled chillers and the use of free cooling when ambient conditions permit to reduce energy consumption.
South Wales AI Growth Zone
South Wales was designated as a UK AI Growth Zone in recognition of its concentration of digital infrastructure, fiber connectivity to London, high-capacity electricity grid infrastructure and strong industrial base. The region is also home to the UK’s largest cluster of semiconductor businesses, creating a growing ecosystem for advanced technology, AI infrastructure and high-value digital investment.
CWL1 is part of Vantage’s multi-billion-pound investment strategy across South Wales, where the company expects to deliver more than 1GW of AI-ready capacity across Newport, Bridgend (where work is under way at the former Ford engine factory site) and the Welsh Government-owned Bro Tathan business park in the Vale of Glamorgan.
Reactions from Key Figures
David Howson, Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) president for Vantage Data Centers, said: “This is an important milestone for South Wales and for the UK’s AI infrastructure ambitions. Nebius is scaling AI cloud infrastructure in the UK at a time when demand for domestic compute capacity continues to accelerate. Vantage’s Newport campus provides the scale, connectivity and operational excellence needed to support that growth, and we’re proud to help establish South Wales as a leading destination for AI investment.”
Gary Tierney, general manager for EMEA at Nebius, said: “The UK is one of the places where AI is being built, deployed and adopted by startups, enterprises and the public sector. Vantage’s Newport campus gives us a strong foundation to expand access to Nvidia-powered AI infrastructure in the UK and support customers building the next generation of AI applications.”
UK AI Minister and MP for the Vale of Glamorgan Kanishka Narayan said: “This government wants to put AI to work as a tool for renewing Britain and delivering new jobs. It is central to our mission to reindustrialise the country, drive good growth in every postcode and ensure our public services match-fit for the decades ahead. Making that happen relies on having cutting-edge compute–the horsepower that makes AI possible–here on home shores. The infrastructure at Newport will create new high skilled jobs in South Wales and help British businesses and innovators using AI to solve some of the toughest problems.”
Adam Price, Cabinet Minister for Enterprise, Connectivity and Energy, said: “This announcement marks an important milestone for the South Wales AI Growth Zone and demonstrates Wales’ growing reputation as a strategic location for the infrastructure that will power the AI economy. Nebius and Vantage’s investment will help unlock new economic opportunities, support highly skilled jobs and reinforce Wales’ position as a leading destination for advanced digital investment. We look forward to working with partners to maximise the benefits of this investment for businesses, communities and the wider Welsh economy.”
