APAC colocation operator DCI Data Centers (DCI) has unveiled plans for a “significant investment” to build a new facility in northern Australia.

Located in Darwin, the DRW01 data centre will sit on a 2.7 hectare site in a Darwin Technology Park, where up to 10 Megawatts of IT Load will be deployed.

The deal also provides an option to expand up to 5 hectares in the future, DCI, a portfolio business of Brookfield Asset Management and its investment partners, said.

The DRW01 design, subject to development application approval, is based on the cloud edge TIER-Ready III design that is being used by DCI in Adelaide.

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Malcolm Roe, DCI CEO for Australia and New Zealand, said: “Darwin is a strategic location in Australia and has already created a digital ecosystem with key elements like; renewable energy, international and Australia-wide network connectivity.

“It is also the command hub in the north for Australian defence and coastal border forces, as well as hosting significant U.S. Defence Force technical and aerial assets. The rapidly growing space sector is also seeing organisations such as NASA and other global players establishing a presence in the Territory.  This is all in addition to the existing mining, agriculture and tourism sectors.

“These industries require secure ICT infrastructure, so it makes perfect sense for us to increase our footprint to include NT, starting with the purchase of this land.

DCI’s investment closely follows the recent Darwin-Jakarta-Singapore Cable (DJSC) announcement and the extension of the Terabit Territory into Asia.

Roe added: “This investment supports the expansion of DCI’s national footprint and the deployment of secure cloud edge facilities across Australia and New Zealand.  DCI has operational data centre assets located in Sydney and Adelaide. 

“These will soon be joined by two new TIER-Ready III certified facilities called ADL02 and AKL01, with construction underway in Kidman Park, South Australia and New Zealand respectively.  DCI has also recently announced acquisition of land in Mawson Lakes to build a third Data Centre facility in South Australia.”