ICS Arabia Breaks Ground on Desert Dragon Data Centers, Set to Revolutionize Saudi Digital Infrastructure
In a groundbreaking move, ICS Arabia, a prominent design-build-operate data center company in Saudi Arabia, has officially announced the start of construction on the Desert Dragon Data Centers. This state-of-the-art facility will have a massive total capacity of 187 megawatts (MW) and is set to transform the digital landscape in the region.
The ambitious project is the result of a strategic joint venture between ICS Arabia and Shanghai-based Lumaotong Group (LMT), following the signing of a tri-party Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with China Mobile International (CMI) in Saudi Arabia on September 11, 2023.
With a design encompassing a cluster of 187 megawatts (MW) Tier III and IV data centers, ICS Arabia has already secured land in MODON for the development. The data centers will offer a range of rack capacities, from 2 kW to 100 kW for conventional racks and immersive cooling technologies, catering to global customers with services ranging from cloud hosting to artificial intelligence solutions.
The first phase of the project will see the launch of a Tier III 65 MW data center in Riyadh, expected to be operational by March 2026. Following this, the second phase will involve a 50 MW data center in Jeddah, with construction starting in February 2025 and operations commencing in the fourth quarter of 2026. The final phase, encompassing 72 MW, will see construction begin in September 2025 in Dammam and NEOM. The joint venture plans to invest a total of $1.90 billion in the Kingdom over three years.
General Abdullah A. AlMazny (Retd.), Managing Director of ICS Arabia, expressed his enthusiasm for the project, stating, “This groundbreaking project represents a significant step forward in Saudi Arabia’s digital infrastructure. It aligns with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 goals and bolsters the Kingdom as a regional leader in technology and innovation. This cluster of data centers will offer integrated solutions, including cloud hosting, cyber solutions, and AI technology hosting, to support the digital economy, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and big data.”
Ms. Bonnie Chen, Managing Director of CMI Saudi Arabia, emphasized the importance of the project for international connectivity services in the region, saying, “With the highly secure and robust Tier III and Tier IV uptime-certified data centers, CMI is poised to deliver enhanced international connectivity services to our customers in the region. This initiative will expand our global footprint and strengthen interconnectivity across the Middle East, supporting the overall growth of the global digital economy.”
Mr. Zhan Lujin, Chairman of LMT Group, shared his vision for the project, stating, “LMT plans to bring many more emerging industry sectors to Saudi Arabia, including new energy, new materials, cross-border e-commerce, and bulk trade trading platforms. The Desert Dragon Data Center will meet the information and data service needs of these industries. It will also promote greater cooperation on the digital frontier and support the region’s Belt and Road Initiative projects.”
