Sierra DC has rebranded as Alto Infrastructure, a name that better reflects the scale of the project underway in Granada. This change does not alter the company’s initial focus: building data center infrastructure designed for artificial intelligence, high-performance computing, and high-density cloud workloads in Southern Europe.
The flagship asset for Alto Infrastructure will be SP01, a campus located in Escúzar, Granada, planned to grow in phases up to 70 MW of IT capacity. The company aims to have 10 MW ready for service in Q2 2027, expand to 25 MW by the end of 2027, and continue scaling in 2028 and 2029 with the completion of the substation and full deployment of the campus.
This development comes at a time when Spain is gaining prominence in the European data center market. Madrid remains the primary national hub, but the demand for AI is shifting the sector’s dynamics. Factors such as energy availability, electrical connection, access to renewables, latency to major network nodes, and the ability to build large campuses are becoming as important as proximity to financial or business centers.
A campus designed for AI workloads
SP01 isn’t positioned as a traditional data center. Alto Infrastructure describes it as a campus ready for AI, cloud, and large-scale enterprise workloads, with densities exceeding 120 kW per rack, hybrid air-based and liquid cooling, N+1 redundancy, and modules ranging from 5 to 20 MW for clients.
Densities are a key focus. For years, many enterprise data centers were designed for more modest rack loads. AI has changed that scale. GPU clusters and accelerators require higher power per rack, more cooling, internal networking, and electrical distribution capable of handling heavy demands. A campus starting with 120 kW per rack is clearly aimed at clients needing training, inference, or HPC platforms, rather than just hosting servers.
Energy planning is also central. Alto Infrastructure emphasizes a direct 130 kV grid connection, with an on-site substation, and phased development: 10 MW in Q2 2027, 25 MW by late 2027, 45 MW in 2028, and up to 70 MW in 2029 once the substation is completed. In today’s market, securing power is nearly as critical as constructing the building itself. Many European data center projects are delayed not due to lack of clients, but due to insufficient power, permits, or electrical connections.
| SP01 Project Data | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | Escúzar, Granada |
| Surface area | 100,000 m² |
| Initial capacity | 10 MW IT in Q2 2027 |
| Planned scaling | 25 MW IT in Q4 2027 |
| Full capacity | 70 MW IT |
| Electrical connection | 130 kV |
| Latency to Madrid | Less than 8 ms |
| Rack density | Over 120 kW |
| Design PUE | 1.29 |
| Cooling system | Hybrid, air and liquid-ready |
| Redundancy | N+1 |
Granada as an alternative to the Madrid axis
The latency of under 8 milliseconds to Madrid underscores the project’s positioning. Granada isn’t competing with Madrid as the main interconnection hub, but it can serve as a complementary location for high-consumption workloads, model training, distributed inference, high-density private clouds, or dedicated capacity for clients seeking power and efficiency.
Southern Spain offers increasingly valuable advantages: available land, renewable potential, lower real estate pressure compared to major European hubs, and the possibility of building new campuses from scratch with high-density standards. The challenge is securing connectivity, energy, permits, anchor clients, and operational capability to meet the expectations of large infrastructure buyers.
Granada also contributes a territorial dimension. While AI investment is concentrated in a few European regions, new data centers can open opportunities outside traditional hubs if well connected through networks, talent, and energy. Escúzar already benefits from CITAI, the industrial and technological area hosting the project, reinforcing the idea of a digital infrastructure hub in eastern Andalusia.
The key will be whether the schedule is met. A high-density data center isn’t validated by renders or corporate statements but by permits, construction, electrical connection, capacity contracts, certifications, equipment supply, load testing, fiber access, and actual clients. Alto Infrastructure states that land, permits, and power are secured to proceed with deployment.
Sustainability and efficiency under pressure
The project reports a design PUE of 1.29, a competitive figure for high-density campuses, though it must be validated in real operation and under varying loads. The company also mentions a net WUE, water consumption of 0.0013 liters per kWh, alignment with renewable energy, and heat reuse architecture.
These are important elements, but should be interpreted cautiously. Data center sustainability isn’t solely about the design PUE. The actual energy source, water use, average load, client hardware efficiency, effective heat reuse, electrical grid integration, and avoiding overbuilding all matter. Alto Infrastructure proposes a phased modular development— a reasonable approach that aligns investment with demand.
Liquid cooling will be another critical aspect. AI workloads are pushing densities that make traditional air cooling insufficient in many scenarios. A “liquid-ready” design doesn’t mean the entire campus operates with liquid cooling from day one, but that it’s prepared to support GPU racks and high-density architectures without redesigning the technical space midway.
| Technical Area | AI client reading |
| 120+ kW per rack | Support for dense GPU clusters |
| Hybrid cooling | Flexibility between cloud and AI/HPC workloads |
| Modules of 5–20 MW | Suitable for large clients or dedicated deployments |
| 130 kV connection | Less dependence on future electrical expansions |
| Design PUE 1.29 | Efficiency goal pending actual operation |
| Heat reuse | Potential for local integration if nearby thermal demand exists |
Spain competes for AI infrastructure
The rebranding to Alto Infrastructure comes at a moment when data centers have transitioned from purely technical real estate assets to strategic infrastructure. AI requires chips, memory, network, energy, and land. Without prepared high-density data centers, large-scale model training, inference, and advanced cloud services are impossible.
Spain has advantages and limitations. It boasts renewables, favorable geographic position, international connectivity, and a growing market. However, it faces energy bottlenecks, slow administrative processes, social pressure on water and electricity use, and competition from other European countries aiming to attract similar investments.
In this context, SP01’s value lies in its approach: it isn’t a small proximity node or a conventional enterprise center but a campus oriented towards AI capacity. Its success will depend on three factors: securing energy in planned timelines, attracting clients with high-density needs outside Madrid, and demonstrating that efficiency promises hold true when the campus is operational at full load.
The rebranding also has a commercial message. “Sierra DC” conveyed the initial project’s identity; “Alto Infrastructure” aims to sound broader, more institutional, and aligned with a growth platform. The company is positioning itself not just as a data center developer but as a provider of modular, sustainable digital infrastructure capable of scaling.
The market will need to differentiate between ambition and execution. Europe is full of AI data center announcements, but the projects that will truly count are those that secure permits, megawatts, funding, clients, supply chains, and reliable operations. Alto Infrastructure presents a concrete timeline and an ambitious technical profile. The real test begins in 2027.
For Granada, this project could become a technological reference if materialized. For Spain, it reinforces a trend: AI infrastructure won’t only be concentrated where existing large hubs are but will also develop where there’s energy, land, connectivity, and quick construction capacity. For Europe, SP01 signals that Southern Europe aims to participate in the new computing geography.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Alto Infrastructure?
Alto Infrastructure is the new brand of Sierra DC, focusing on developing data center infrastructure for AI, cloud, and high-performance computing.
Where will its first data center be?
Its first campus, SP01, will be in Escúzar, Granada, located within an industrial and technological environment dedicated to major digital infrastructure projects.
When will SP01 be operational?
The company expects to have 10 MW of IT capacity ready in Q2 2027 and to scale up to 25 MW by the end of that year.
Why is this relevant for AI?
Because it’s designed for high-density loads, with over 120 kW per rack, liquid-ready cooling, a 130 kV electrical connection, and an overall capacity of 70 MW.
