Data Center Site Selection: Power Availability and Other Factors
Power usually decides first. A site without enough reliable electricity at the right time is not a data center site, however good everything else is.
Factors
| Factor | What to find out |
|---|---|
| Power | Capacity, timeline, number of independent feeds, voltage, reliability |
| Connectivity | Diverse fibre routes and carrier presence |
| Water and climate | Cooling options, water availability, free-cooling potential |
| Hazards | Flood, seismic, extreme weather and other site risks |
| Land and permits | Zoning, environmental approvals, expansion room |
| Location | Latency to users and availability of skilled staff |
Power questions
- How much capacity can be delivered, and when?
- How many independent feeds, and do they share upstream equipment? This links to the redundancy target. See redundancy explained.
- At what voltage, and what is the fault level at the connection point? See MV switchgear.
- What does connection cost, and who builds the substation?
Comparing sites
Score sites on the same criteria and treat power and permits as pass or fail items before weighing the rest. Overview: data center design guide.
Written by the Vision Matrix Institute editorial team. Worked examples use stated, illustrative assumptions; check them against your project data, the applicable standards and manufacturer datasheets before use.
Frequently Asked Questions
What matters most when choosing a data center site?
Power availability and reliability, connectivity, water and climate, natural hazard risk, land and permitting, and proximity to users and skilled people.
Why is power first?
Large facilities need tens or hundreds of megawatts and the utility connection can take years, so confirmed capacity and timeline shape the whole project.
What should I ask the utility?
Available capacity and timeline, the number and independence of supply feeds, voltage level, fault level and the connection cost.
How do I compare sites?
Score each on the same criteria with weights agreed by the owner, and treat power and permitting as gating items.
Want to learn this properly?
This topic is covered in depth in our Electrical Design – Data Center Specialist program.
Ask us on WhatsAppLearn to do this on a full project in the Electrical Design – Data Center Specialist program, or read the data center design guide.