ASTANA – Kazakhstan plans to build a Data Center Valley project capable of scaling up to one gigawatt of computing power. Located in the northern town of Ekibastuz, the project is set to serve as a cornerstone of the nation’s push into artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure, according to officials.
The estimated volume of investments is roughly $30 billion. Photo credit: primeminister.kz Click to see the map in full size. The map is designed by The Astana Times.
The government is already in talks with global technology and investment players, including Microsoft, OpenAI, G42 and Mubadala, as it seeks to attract capital and expertise to the project, which is expected to attract around $30 billion in investment.
“The Data Center Valley is a dedicated zone designed to host computing infrastructure and support the development of artificial intelligence and digital services. The project is being implemented as an integrated ecosystem, bringing together data, computing capacity, human capital and international partners. The pilot site has been designated in Ekibastuz, the Pavlodar Region. A 200-hectare land plot has been allocated for the project, with room for future expansion,” the Ministry of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Development said in a written comment to The Astana Times.
According to officials, the location was selected because of its proximity to major energy sources and existing industrial infrastructure.
In January, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov, during a working visit to the Pavlodar Region, reviewed the implementation of the Data Center Valley project, which is being developed on the basis of the Ekibastuz energy hub. Photo credit: primeminister.kz
The government plans to connect the zone to core utilities, including water supply, road access, telecommunications networks and electricity infrastructure. Power will be supplied by nearby plants, including Ekibastuz GRES-1 and Ekibastuz GRES-2, with direct energy delivery options for investors.
“Initial available capacity is estimated at 300 megawatts. As part of the project, a phased expansion to one gigawatt is planned,” said the ministry.
The operator of the project will be KT-Telecom, a subsidiary of Kazakhtelecom, the country’s biggest telecom operator. The initiative is seen as regionally competitive in terms of connectivity. According to the ministry, network latency is estimated at 80–88 milliseconds, lower than typical routes from Central Asia to major global hubs such as Frankfurt or Hong Kong, which range between 120 and 150 milliseconds.
The project will also offer tax incentives similar to those available in special economic zones, alongside a one-stop shop system to streamline investor access to government and infrastructure services. According to the ministry, there are four available investment models.
“Build-to-suit land plots with reserved energy capacity; ready-made shell-and-core facilities; leasing of server infrastructure under a zero-capex model; and managed AI and cloud services with access to high-performance computing clusters. Under the first model, investors are required to prioritize procurement from local manufacturers where available and to localize production under offtake agreements,” the ministry explained.
