Omani investment group Mubbadrah Investment has announced that itsa consortium led by the group - comprising local and international companies - is set to develop a $3 billion artificial intelligence (AI) data centre in the sultanate, which, on completion, will have a planned capacity of up to 400 megawatts (MW).
The project, designed to serve hyperscale computing operators, will be developed alongside Sustopia Capital, Vela Tech and O2 Global Energy, with scope for future expansion.
The project announcement comes during the state visit of Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tarik to the United Kingdom, reflecting broader economic and commercial cooperation between the two countries. It was made at a signing ceremony in London attended by Nasser bin Khamis Al Jashmi, chairman of the Oman Tax Authority, UK Ambassador to Oman Liane Saunders and representatives of the UK trade office.
The planned campus will support large-scale AI training and inference workloads, combining local and international expertise with global investment, technology and development capabilities.
Sustopia Capital and Vela Tech are developing, designing and constructing about 20 gigawatts (GW) of AI data centre capacity globally, according to the announcement.
Crusoe has expressed interest in becoming a potential off-taker for the project's data centre capacity. The consortium expects to sign a confirmation of that interest in the coming weeks as the project progresses.
The facility will draw power from the national grid and renewable energy sources. O2 Global Energy will develop 400 MW of solar generation capacity, supported by battery storage, to provide additional clean energy for the campus.
Announcing the big move, Yasser Albarami, CEO, Mubbadrah Investment, said: "As an Omani investment group with a portfolio of more than 20 companies across oil and gas, hospitality, healthcare and other sectors, Mubbadrah Investment is proud to lead this consortium of Omani and international companies."
"Oman has the stability, the strategic location and the energy resources to become a regional home for AI infrastructure, and we are delighted to bring together partners with the capital, technology and experience to make that happen, creating lasting value and opportunities for Oman and its people," he stated.
Nikhil Chouguley, CEO, Sustopia Capital, said: "We are proud of Sustopia Capital’s growing role in developing the next generation of mission-critical digital infrastructure. Through our 5 GW data centre platform spanning Denmark, the United States and the United Kingdom, we are building the foundations for the next era of AI, quantum computing and digital innovation."
"Our expansion into Oman is a strategic extension of this vision, positioning Sustopia at the intersection of the global AI infrastructure and energy transition," he stated
Vela Tech CEO Jeff Fini expressed delight at being part of the team, supporting the design and managing the construction through to successful completion.
"We will draw on our last three years of AI data centre expertise, starting with Stargate in Abilene, Texas, and several other large multi-megawatt sites totaling over 20 GW for almost all of the hyperscale, cloud and AI companies," he stated.
Yazan Faouri, Founder and CEO, O2 Global Energy, pointed out that the company was active in several countries and brings 12 years of experience developing solar and renewable energy projects to the project.
"As the founder of both O2 and H2 Global Energy, a leading green hydrogen and green ammonia developer in the MENA region, I look forward to delivering clean, reliable power for one of the region's most important digital infrastructure projects," he added.-TradeArabia News Service