Former Aluminum Smelter Site in Australia Tapped for 540MW Data Center Campus
June 26, 2026
Former Aluminum Smelter Site in Australia Tapped for 540MW Data Center Campus
A massive data center development is being planned on the site of a former aluminum smelter in Australia, signaling a new wave of industrial land repurposing driven by the surging demand for digital infrastructure. The project, which targets up to 540 megawatts (MW) of IT capacity, is strategically located adjacent to a 660MW power station, ensuring a robust and ready supply of electricity for the energy-intensive facility.
The development is proposed for the site of a decommissioned aluminum smelter, a location that offers significant advantages for hyperscale data center construction, including existing industrial zoning, substantial land area, and critical proximity to high-capacity power transmission infrastructure. The adjacent power station provides a direct and stable energy source, a critical factor as data center operators increasingly prioritize sites with immediate access to reliable and scalable power to support AI and cloud computing workloads.
According to project details, the campus is designed to accommodate multiple data center buildings, with the total potential capacity reaching 540MW. This scale places it among the largest data center projects currently in development in the Asia-Pacific region. The reuse of the former smelter site also highlights a growing trend of converting heavy industrial assets into digital economy hubs, leveraging existing electrical substations and grid connections that would otherwise require years of permitting and construction.
Industry experts note that the project's location near a dedicated power plant could also facilitate the integration of renewable energy sources and advanced cooling technologies, addressing both operational efficiency and sustainability goals. As global demand for data processing continues to escalate, such brownfield developments are becoming increasingly attractive for their ability to compress development timelines and reduce grid interconnection challenges.
Source: datacenterdynamics
