#Oman #datacentres - Omani diversified investment group Mubbadrah Investment is leading a consortium to build a $3 billion AI data centre in Oman with planned capacity of up to 400MW, built for hyperscale operators. Partners are investment advisory firm Sustopia Capital, US data centre developer Vela Tech and Dubai-based renewable energy developer O2 Global Energy. US AI infrastructure company Crusoe has expressed interest in taking the capacity. O2 will add 400MW of solar generation with battery storage. The group announced the project in London during Sultan Haitham bin Tarik’s State Visit to the UK.
SO WHAT? - Oman now has two hyperscale-scale AI data centre projects announced in the same week, both tied to the Sultan’s UK visit. The Mubbadrah announcement reveals more numbers, citing a $3 billion investment, 400MW of data centre capacity and a named potential customer. Crusoe’s interest is not yet a form commitment. Timescales are also deliberately omitted, although, based on industry norms, its possible to estimate that this will be a multi-year project that builds out capacity in phases as user commitments are secured.
KEY POINTS:
Mubbadrah Investment is leading a consortium of Omani and international companies to develop an AI data centre in Oman with planned capacity of up to 400MW. The initial investment is $3 billion, with expansion planned.
The campus is designed for hyperscale operators and will host large-scale AI training and inference workloads. The consortium says it combines local and international expertise with global capital, technology and development capability.
Sustopia Capital and Vela Tech are partners in the consortium. The media statement says the consortium is developing, designing and constructing about 20GW of AI data centre capacity worldwide, and Vela Tech cites Stargate in Abilene, Texas, as earlier work.
Crusoe, a US company specialising in AI infrastructure and cloud computing, has indicated interest as a potential off-taker for the data centre capacity. The consortium expects to sign a confirmation of that interest in the next few weeks.
The site will draw power from the national grid and renewable sources. O2 Global Energy will develop 400MW of solar generation with battery storage to supply additional clean energy to the campus.
Mubbadrah was formed in Muscat in 2005 and operates as a diversified holding company with more than 20 companies. Its interests span energy, mining, manufacturing, IT, real estate and healthcare, with energy the largest vertical.
The signing ceremony took place in London during HI Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik’s State Visit to the UK. Attendees included Oman Tax Authority chairman Nasser bin Khamis Al Jashmi, UK Ambassador to Oman Dr Liane Saunders and UK trade office representatives.
Sustopia Capital runs a 5GW data centre platform spanning Denmark, the US and the UK, and says Oman is an extension of it. O2 Global Energy brings 12 years of solar and renewable development experience.
ZOOM OUT - Sultan Haitham bin Tarik's three-day State Visit to the UK, hosted by the King and Queen, is the first by an Omani Sultan since Sultan Qaboos in 1982. The UK government says it has produced over £1 billion in new investment, including Yamna's Salalah Al Khadra Digital data centre project, along with a deal to speed up two-way investment. UK Export Finance will lift its financing capacity for exports to Oman to up to £7 billion. Other agreements cover maritime security, responsible AI in education, space cooperation and the return of Chevening scholarships, with applications from August 2027.
[Written and edited with the assistance of AI]
Source: Mubbadrah Investment, UK Government
Read more about AI in Oman:
Yamna signs £1B+ Oman AI data centre deal (Middle East AI News)
Oman’s O-Green targets 200MW of AI data centres (Middle East AI News)
Omani AI startups almost double in one year (Middle East AI News)
Otech and DeepAstra launch sovereign AI platform (Middle East AI News)
ASUS, Intel open AI Lab in Ibri area (Middle East AI News)