The data center map in Euskadi is starting to move with greater intensity. The Basque Government has granted the integrated environmental authorization for the construction of a new data processing center promoted by Moana Data, S.L. in the Zamudio Technological Park, in Bizkaia. The facility will have a planned capacity of 30 MW, developed in three phases of 10 MW each, and aims to become the largest data center in the province.
The resolution, published in the Official Gazette of the Basque Country on May 22, 2026, includes the environmental impact statement and grants the integrated environmental authorization to the project, located in Polygon 1001, Parcel 20011, Subparcel 01, within plot SZI-3B of Sector Aresti, in the municipality of Zamudio. This is a key administrative step, though not the final one: the company still needs to complete the final procedures before beginning construction, which could start this year if the schedule proceeds as planned.
The project arrives at a time of high demand for digital infrastructure. Artificial intelligence, cloud computing, cybersecurity, low-latency services, and the need to host data close to businesses and government entities are pushing many regions to compete for new data centers. So far, Madrid has concentrated much of Spain’s growth, but other areas are beginning to position themselves around energy, industrial land, connectivity, and technological ecosystems.
A 30 MW project in three phases
Moana Data’s installation is planned in three phases of 10 MW each, reaching a total of 30 MW. This figure places it well above other local developments already announced in Bizkaia. According to Cronica Vasca in November 2025, the project planned in Zamudio is part of the data center portfolio of Nostrum Group, a Sevillian group operating this initiative through Moana Data. The same source projected that the first 10 MW phase would come into operation around April 2028, provided construction timelines are maintained.
Comparing this to other projects helps understand the scale leap. In 2025, Sarenet announced a new data center in the Derio-Zamudio area with a €20 million investment and a capacity of 3 MW, focused on SMEs, cybersecurity, cloud services, and AI. Additionally, the Atlantic Data Infrastructure network, driven by the Basque Government along with technological and industrial partners, started with smaller sizes in its initial buildings.
Moana Data operates at another power level. Thirty megawatts do not make Zamudio a hyper-scale hub comparable to the large campuses of Madrid, Aragón, or Álava, but they do represent a significant infrastructure for Bizkaia. The project will occupy around two hectares and will require direct connection to the power grid, along with backup systems to ensure continuity in case of supply failure. In data centers, electrical availability is not a technical detail: it is the main factor in design, investment, and operation.
Why Zamudio makes sense for a data center
The location is no coincidence. The Zamudio Technological Park hosts technology, industrial, and advanced service companies, and is close to the Bilbao metropolitan area and relevant connectivity infrastructures. For a data center, proximity to corporate clients, telecom operators, and fiber networks can be as important as land price.
Additionally, Bizkaia has a strategic asset that has gained importance in recent years: submarine connectivity. The MAREA cable, linking Virginia Beach with Sopelana, strengthened transatlantic connectivity for northern Spain, and the Derio hub has been presented as an interconnection infrastructure tied to this route. Telxius highlighted that MAREA reached 200 Tbps of capacity and offers a low-latency route between the United States and Southern Europe.
This type of connectivity is especially valuable for cloud services, data replication, content delivery, enterprise interconnection, and workloads requiring good latency between Europe and America. While not sufficient alone to attract large projects, it adds value in a balance where operators appreciate route diversity, proximity to clients, resilience, and energy availability.
IDOM itself has highlighted Bizkaia’s potential for data center projects up to 45 MW, with scalable and redundant IT power designs of 30 MW to 45 MW, after analyzing the availability of critical infrastructure, urban planning conditions, electrical supply options, and operational efficiency.
Energy, water, and social acceptance: the inevitable challenges
The growth of data centers always brings uncomfortable questions. The first is energy. A 30 MW facility requires significant electrical capacity and a reliable grid connection. In a context where AI is increasing the energy demand of data centers worldwide, each new project must justify not only its economic impact but also how it fits into electrical planning and sustainability objectives.
The second issue is cooling. Data centers need to constantly remove heat, and high-density AI architectures make this more challenging. Some facilities resort to air cooling, others use water, direct liquid cooling, or hybrid solutions. Water consumption and energy efficiency have become public debate topics in many regions hosting new developments.
The third is backup power. Emergency generators are common for ensuring service continuity but also pose environmental conditions, usage limits, emissions, and noise control. That is precisely why the environmental authorization is important: it sets conditions and obligations for operating within regulatory boundaries.
Zamudio’s challenge will be to combine technological ambition with environmental rigor. Data centers are essential for the digital economy, but their social value depends on how well they are integrated into the territory. Promising digitalization and AI are not enough; energy efficiency, transparency, skilled job creation, reasonable resource use, and tangible benefits for the local ecosystem must also be demonstrated.
Bizkaia enters the new digital geography
Moana Data’s project reinforces the idea that digital infrastructure is beginning to spread beyond the traditional major hubs. Madrid will continue to be Spain’s largest data center node in terms of business concentration, connectivity, and scale, but regions like Euskadi aim to position themselves in niches where they can offer industrial proximity, data sovereignty, regional low latency, and connections to sectors such as energy, manufacturing, automotive, banking, health, or public administration.
For Bizkaia, a 30 MW center can serve as a support piece for cloud services, business continuity, applied AI, data storage, and critical operations. It can also attract technology providers seeking alternative locations to saturated hubs, provided energy prices, connectivity, and land availability are favorable.
The environmental authorization does not automatically turn Zamudio into a major data hub, but it opens the door for an unprecedented-scale facility in the province. If executed, it will add significant capacity to an ecosystem already hosting local operators, institutional initiatives, and increasingly valued international connectivity.
The AI economy is not built solely on models, chips, and algorithms. It also needs land, energy, fiber, permits, cooling, and data centers capable of safe operation over the years. Zamudio has just taken a step into that conversation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What has the Basque Government approved?
It has granted the integrated environmental authorization and issued the environmental impact statement for a data processing center promoted by Moana Data in the Zamudio Technological Park.
What capacity will the data center have?
The project foresees a capacity of 30 MW, distributed over three phases of 10 MW each. If completed, it would be one of the most significant developments in Bizkaia in this sector.
When could construction begin?
The environmental authorization is a key step, but final procedures remain. If they are completed on time, construction could start this year.
Why was Zamudio chosen?
Because of its technological and industrial environment, proximity to Bilbao, infrastructure availability, and the international connectivity associated with northern Spain, including the submarine cable network.