Grid congestion at data centres: power as an award criterion

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The land has been bought, the design is ready and customers are queuing up. The only problem is that the grid operator cannot deliver the capacity for the new hall for another few years. Grid congestion at data centres increasingly decides not whether an expansion goes ahead, but when and at what pace. That affects the schedule, and with it the security of the site.

1What grid congestion at data centres means

In many parts of the Netherlands the electricity grid is full. TenneT and the regional grid operators are expanding the grid, but that takes years. The capacity map of the Dutch grid operators’ association shows per area whether there is still room for new connections. For a data centre, which needs a lot of power, that is often the first question when planning an expansion.

In this way, power becomes a kind of award criterion. A site with a confirmed connection is worth more than one in a better location that has to wait. Expansions are built in phases, matched to the capacity as it becomes available. That makes projects longer and less predictable.

2A construction site that runs longer than planned

Phasing based on grid capacity means part of the site sometimes stands idle for months. The shell of the hall is up and the site is laid out, but the installations only arrive once the connection is in place. Or the other way round: transformers, switchgear and cables have been delivered, but cannot be connected yet.

A quiet period like that is vulnerable. There are fewer people around, while valuable material is on site. Copper cable and installation parts with long lead times are attractive to thieves, and damage to a single transformer can delay the next phase by months. A security plan that only assumes the busy construction phase does not suit a project that alternately stalls and resumes.

3On-site power supply as a new risk

To keep moving, some operators opt for an interim solution: backup generators, battery storage or their own substation that is ready before the rest. Those installations bring risks of their own. Fuel storage and large battery systems call for fire detection and supervision, even when nobody is nearby. And a substation is a place where you want to know exactly who goes in.

The security itself needs power too. A camera tower runs on a grid connection, unless you extend it with solar or wind power. On a site where every kilowatt counts, it is best to include that in the plan from the start, rather than looking for a connection afterwards.

4An example from practice

Suppose an operator builds an expansion in three phases, because the grid operator supplies the capacity in three steps. Phase one is already running, phase two is under construction and the site for phase three is ready. Camera towers watch the boundary between the operational part and the construction zone and look out over the empty plot. Temporary fire detection is installed at the new substation and the battery storage, with alerts going to the operator’s monitoring centre. When phase three starts, some of the towers move along to the new construction zone. The system stays the same, even if the connection arrives a few months later than planned.

5How Darwin secures phased data centre projects

At data centres, Darwin is mainly involved during the phase when building or expansion is taking place. A phased project suits the way we work: one fixed project price for the technology, from 4 months up to 10 years, and one managed system that moves with the phases. Scaling up or down is agreed separately. For the construction zone and the empty plot we deploy a Darwin Tower. At the substation and battery storage, Darwin FireProtection provides temporary detection. Where there is no fixed line yet, footage and alerts come in through Darwin Connect, together with Odido, our Global Connectivity & Strategic Partner.

Our own engineers install and relocate the towers, and we safeguard the system technically 24/7. Alerts go to the operator’s monitoring centre or to that of our regular partner. Read more about our approach under data centre security and grid and energy security.

6Frequently asked questions

Why does grid congestion make a data centre expansion take longer?

Because the grid operator cannot deliver the required capacity in one go. Operators therefore build in phases, and between those phases part of the site sometimes stands idle for months.

What do I need to secure while construction is on hold?

Above all the material that has already been delivered, such as cables, transformers and switchgear, and the boundary with the part that is already in operation.

Does a camera tower need a grid connection?

Yes, unless you extend it with alternative energy such as solar or wind power. On a site with little grid capacity, that is something to discuss in advance.