Microsoft invests 2.9 billion to create another data center in Aragon next to Puerto Venecia

A new data centre will be a reality in Aragon from 2026. Microsoft is doubling its bet and injecting another 2.9 billion (the total figure rises to 10 billion) to build a new data campus between Z-40 and Puerto Venecia, on the outskirts of Zaragoza. In the last two years, foreign investment within the technological hub of Aragon has reached 36 billion euros. This was announced by President Jorge Azcón from the Pignatelli building this Friday after the approval in the extraordinary Council of the Declaration of General Interest in Aragon (DIGA) of the project.

The DGA leader has referred to the economic moment that Aragon is experiencing as “historic, exciting and vibrant”. “We are the community that is receiving the most foreign capital investment in all of Spain and in the technological sector we host the largest in Europe”, he argued from the Sala de las Columnas used by the Executive for its days of glory.

MORE THAN 1,000 DIRECT JOBS, 300 IN THE OPERATIONAL PHASE

The new Microsoft technology complex in Zaragoza will begin to be built next year. To this end, the Government of Aragon has committed to having all the paperwork ready as soon as possible. It will occupy a space of 59 hectares and will be developed in several phases.

The first phase, the launch phase, will allow for an imminent investment of 582 million euros and during the three years of construction, between 1,000 and 2,000 direct jobs will be created in sectors such as electricity, plumbing and electronics. It is expected to come into operation from 2030, but it will take a decade to reach full capacity. 300 jobs will be created in the operational phase and there will be more “technological” profiles such as systems engineers, mechanical or electrical engineers or security contractors, as well as workers dedicated to maintenance.

The economic impact, from the start of construction to its consolidation in 2030, will reach 2.685 billion euros. “We will continue to support these investments to extend to the entire economy so that high-quality jobs and GDP continue to grow in Aragon,” explained Azcón, who added that the technological hub is “a driving force for the transformation of the future” and who valued the 10 billion euros of Microsoft’s total investment in Aragon as an “ astronomical figure ”.

MICROSOFT DATA CENTERS IN ARAGON

The harmony between the DGA and Microsoft is palpable. Last July, the implementation of a new data centre of the technological giant in Villamayor de Gállego was announced. It joins the two previous ones contemplated in the PTR (Recycling Technology Park) and in La Muela, whose projects already reached a total investment of 6.6 billion.

However, as announced this Friday, the new campus next to Puerto Venecia is presumably coming to replace the one planned in the PTR . Even so, the land acquired there by the company remains under its custody and it reserves the possibility of building another centre there according to its future needs. “The active project in Villanueva de Gállego remains active and also the one that is being promoted in the Centrovía industrial estate (La Muela). The PTR land has been bought by Microsoft, it keeps it in its ownership for future expansions and it does not give it up, ” said the leader of the Executive, insisting that it does not come to replace but to “reinforce and complete”.

THE AWARD OF ELECTRICAL NETWORK

On the other hand, Azcón has admitted that the most important challenge at the moment is to involve the Government of Spain in investing in strengthening the energy transport networks, which are seen as key to the establishment and viability of these megaprojects in Aragon, since the capacity at the moment would be insufficient in the long term.

The criteria for the award of the planning of the Electricity Grid until 2030 depend on the Ministry and will arrive in the next few months since they are in the process of review. For his part, Azcón has trusted that “common sense and good sense will prevail” so that the community will be the recipient “of a large part of the investments” . “We have the space, the resources, the land and the talent to generate very competitive renewable energy”, he recalled.

In this case, the Government of Aragon already assumed at the end of the year that the generation capacity would have to even triple since at that time the demand would already be around 7.4 gigawatts (about 74,000 megawatts). However, cautious, the president on February 28 did not want to specify figures regarding the needs within the Red Eléctrica award . “The Ministry and Red Eléctrica will be the ones to give reliable data. The estimates that we can make cannot be completely accurate,” the popular leader concluded.