Following in the footsteps of Microsoft (in the Rhenish mining area), financial investor Blackstone is the next US company to enter the construction of “hyperscaler/AI” data centers in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). With the signing of a purchase agreement for an approximately 27-hectare site in the Westfalen inter-municipal industrial park—located on the border between the city of Hamm and the municipality of Lippetal—the foundation has been laid for an investment of around four billion euros.
A decisive location advantage for the project is the existing infrastructure, which can meet the data center’s enormous energy demands. To ensure long-term viability and sustainability, grid expansion also plays a key role: transmission system operator Amprion GmbH plans to build a converter in neighboring Hamm-Uentrop by 2030. This facility will convert direct current into alternating current, enabling the direct sourcing of wind power from Wilhelmshaven. This connection to renewable energy sources creates the technical prerequisites for operating the data center in a more climate-friendly manner.
However, despite the massive investment sum and the future use of renewable energy, the final realization is subject to several conditions. The signed purchase agreement has a suspensive effect, meaning the project is only officially secured once the land-use planning procedures are successfully completed and final approval is granted by the municipal councils in Hamm and Lippetal.
The schedule now envisions an approximately two-year planning and approval process, which will also involve comprehensive public participation. Provided all legal construction hurdles are cleared, the campus is expected to be completed in the early 2030s.
Despite the high level of investment, the project does not represent a massive boost for structural change in terms of employment, as operating data centers requires only a small number of specialized professionals. However, the long-term construction and infrastructure phase offers significant economic opportunities for regional trades and the construction industry. Furthermore, the facility will enable real-time applications, where every millisecond counts, to be executed in the immediate vicinity.
We will continue to monitor these developments closely and provide regular updates on the data center industry. Naturally, we would particularly welcome future investment news from German-based entities here in North Rhine-Westphalia.
