Three new data centers with a combined information technology capacity of 230 megawatts are being planned in central and northern Greece, adding to a growing pipeline of investments as the country seeks to establish itself as a regional hub for cloud computing and artificial intelligence.
Environmental impact studies for the projects in Phthiotis and Kozani were submitted for public consultation on November 6. The two largest facilities, planned for the municipality of Amfikleia-Elateia in Phthiotis, form part of a wider €2.5 billion development that includes electricity storage, high-voltage infrastructure and grid connections.
New investments extend beyond Athens
The Phthiotis development involves two neighboring data centers, each with 100 MW of IT equipment capacity, promoted by Hermes Node and Spelta. The facilities would occupy approximately 59 hectares near the community of Dorieis, with construction expected to take 24 months. Their combined electricity requirements, including cooling and supporting systems, are estimated at 280 MW, while an associated battery storage facility would provide 200 MW of power and 800 megawatt-hours of storage capacity.
In Kozani, Gnwsis Data Center Solutions, associated with businessman Christos Petrocheilos and the Kiefer group, plans a 30 MW facility near Nea Nikopoli. The project would accommodate equipment belonging to outside companies, with part of its computing capacity intended for artificial intelligence applications.
The proposals follow several major investments announced elsewhere in Greece. Microsoft is developing three data centers in Attica under an officially approved investment plan worth approximately €976 million, while Digital Realty and French operator Data4 are expanding their presence in the Greek market.
In September, Greece’s Public Power Corporation signed an agreement with Amazon Web Services for a planned 300 MW data center in Western Macedonia, with potential expansion to 1 gigawatt. PPC expects to invest approximately €1.2 billion in the initial phase, although final agreements and regulatory approvals are still required.
Local communities raise environmental concerns
The rapid expansion has also generated opposition, particularly in eastern Attica, where residents have questioned the environmental impact of concentrating several facilities near residential neighborhoods.
Residents of Christoupoli in Spata have appealed to Greece’s Council of State over the development of three nearby data centers, raising concerns about continuous noise from cooling equipment, heat emissions and electricity consumption. Their objections also concern regulations allowing certain facilities below 20 MW to proceed without individual environmental impact studies. Residents argue that authorities should assess the cumulative effects of multiple developments operating in the same area. The controversy also involves the €770 million Olive data center project, developed by Dromeus Capital and Apto, whose planned capacity reaches 80 MW.
With additional projects entering public consultation, electricity demand, water use and location planning are becoming increasingly important issues for Greece’s emerging data center industry.
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