In an unprecedented strategic alliance, Khazna Data Centers, a global leader in hyperscale digital infrastructure, and Italy’s energy company Eni have signed a preliminary agreement (Head of Terms) to develop a data center campus with 500 MW of IT capacity dedicated to artificial intelligence (AI) in Lombardy, northern Italy.
The announcement was formalized in Rome with the presence of Her Excellency Reem Al Hashimy, Minister of State for International Cooperation of the United Arab Emirates, alongside senior officials from the UAE and Italy’s Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso. Khazna CEO Hassan Alnaqbi and Eni Global Resources COO Guido Brusco signed the agreement on behalf of their organizations.
Clean Energy and Advanced Computing
The new campus will be located in Ferrera Erbognone, near Milan, and will be powered by “Blue Power,” a low-carbon energy produced by a new high-efficiency combined cycle plant with CO₂ capture, developed by Eni. This combination represents an unprecedented synergy in Italy between decarbonized energy and next-generation data centers geared toward AI workloads and high-performance computing (HPC).
Goal: 1 GW Capacity in Italy
The 500 MW project is the first step of a more ambitious plan aimed at reaching 1 GW of IT capacity in Italy, in line with the letter of intent signed during the state visit of UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in February 2025. This bilateral agreement between Italy and the UAE envisions cooperation in artificial intelligence, energy transition, and digital infrastructure as shared strategic pillars.
Khazna will act as the principal partner in designing, developing, and executing the master plan, which will be implemented in phases. The campus is designed to be modular, highly energy-efficient, and scalable, accommodating the growing demands for power in generative AI and supercomputing.
A Strategic Leap for Europe
Hassan Alnaqbi, CEO of Khazna, emphasized: “We are proud to partner with Eni, a proven energy leader, in this milestone that marks a key step in Khazna’s European expansion. Together, we are enabling the infrastructure needed for exponential AI growth, combining scale, sustainability, and operational precision.”
Meanwhile, Guido Brusco of Eni stated: “This collaboration with Khazna allows us to build critical infrastructure for Italy and Europe, blending unique capabilities in innovation, energy sustainability, and agile execution.”
Governance and Next Steps
The agreement outlines the key principles, roles, and governance structures for a joint venture between the two parties, which will accelerate the campus development. The project positions Italy as a strategic hub for the new European digital infrastructure focused on technological sovereignty, artificial intelligence, and sustainability.
Regional Context
Lombardy is establishing itself as a new critical infrastructure hub in Southern Europe, joining ongoing initiatives in Paris, Madrid, Lisbon, and Frankfurt, and elevating Italy’s role in hosting data centers tailored to AI needs and data-intensive processing.
The project also strengthens economic and technological ties between Italy and the UAE amid a growing regional digitalism and European efforts to diversify cloud and critical infrastructure providers.
Source: Khazna