1414 Degrees Completes Full Acquisition of Aurora Energy Precinct to Advance 1 GW AI Data Centre Plans

1414 Degrees (ASX: 14D) has completed its acquisition of Vast Solar Aurora Pty Ltd, taking 100% ownership of the 16-square-kilometre Aurora Energy Precinct near Port Augusta, South Australia, in a move the company says will streamline commercial negotiations with data centre operators and infrastructure partners.

The acquisition, finalised on October 20, 2026, under an agreement first announced to the ASX on September 1, 2026, transfers the remaining 50% interest in SiliconAurora Pty Ltd to 1414 Degrees. VSA is now a wholly owned subsidiary of the company. The transaction also includes VSA's approximately $1.76 million shareholder loan receivable from SiliconAurora, assignment of development approval DA 010/V061/17 V3 for Aurora, and rights to engineering CAD drafting files covering site development, water, roads, civils, dams, battery storage, geotechnical and environmental work. The purchase price was not disclosed.

The structural change is significant for the company's commercial strategy. By eliminating the previous joint venture ownership, 1414 Degrees says it can now engage more directly with prospective customers, infrastructure partners and financiers. The March 2026 placement, which raised $2.69 million at $0.0145 per share, was earmarked partly to regain full ownership of Aurora and advance the battery energy storage system toward transmission connection.

Aurora's development pathway has been progressing alongside the acquisition. The approved 140 MW / 280 MWh battery energy storage system has cleared the Australian Energy Market Operator's technical requirements and is positioned as a cornerstone of the precinct's planned firmed electricity supply, supporting renewable generation and potential power purchase agreements with grid-connected and behind-the-meter customers. Commercial transmission access negotiations with ElectraNet and a BHP subsidiary for the proposed 275 kV connection are advancing under the H2H term sheet announced in April 2024, while a parallel 33 kV connection pathway is being developed to support smaller customer projects ahead of the larger transmission milestone.

In July 2026, 1414 Degrees signed a non-binding Heads of Agreement with an unnamed Australian data centre developer and operator for up to 1 GW of AI data centre infrastructure at Aurora. The agreement grants the operator exclusivity over an initial 40-hectare parcel, with a 17 MW starter campus enabled by the existing 33 kV connection. "Full ownership now simplifies how we bring customers, infrastructure partners and capital into the precinct," said Dr Kevin Moriarty, Executive Chairman of 1414 Degrees.

The Aurora precinct sits within the Upper Spencer Gulf Renewable Energy Zone and holds Crown-sponsored development approvals for solar generation, battery storage and long-duration thermal energy storage, with access to Port Augusta's grid and fibre infrastructure. For energy-intensive users such as data centres, which require reliable low-emissions power at scale, a firmed renewable energy precinct combining generation with storage offers a more dependable supply than generation alone. Sole ownership matters because power purchase agreements depend on a counterparty able to commit the site, and 1414 Degrees says full ownership simplifies those negotiations.

The company has invited infrastructure developers and financiers to partner on Aurora's staged development, with a focus on securing PPAs for supply to the National Electricity Market and behind-the-meter data centres and electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Dr Moriarty said the company's priority is "securing commercial commitments that support investment and future revenue." Beyond Aurora, 1414 Degrees' wider technology platform includes SiBrick, SiBox, SiPHyR and SiNTL, spanning thermal storage, industrial heat, hydrogen and battery materials. The company has not disclosed revenue figures, timelines or funding amounts, and the July 2026 Heads of Agreement remains non-binding, with the 275 kV negotiations still ongoing.