en.Wedoany.com Reported - A 72MW data center is proposed for Thames Valley Park in Reading, UK, which will replace office buildings previously used by Microsoft on its campus in the area. The tech giant has vacated multiple office locations and consolidated its operations into a larger building last year.

The project team stated that with declining demand for office space, the proposed data center will provide a viable long-term use for the site and support the UK's growing demand for digital infrastructure. The project is managed by BCS Consultancy, with Hilson Moran as advisor, Arup as planning consultant, Twelve Architects & Masterplanners responsible for architectural design and master planning, and Alpaca Communications handling public relations and community engagement.

The group stated that the proposal is expected to support up to 245 construction jobs during the building phase and provide at least 115 full-time equivalent positions after operations begin in Wokingham. The project requires a construction investment of £200 million (approximately $266 million).

Electricity is expected to be supplied by on-site fuel cells powered by natural gas, while additional grid capacity is also being pursued. The project team added that the fuel cells are future-fuel-ready, meaning they can adapt as the gas network becomes greener and low-carbon fuels such as biomethane and hydrogen become more widely available. The UK government has required gas power plants to begin injecting biomethane by 2030 and has taken limited steps to promote hydrogen blending.

The Thames Valley team stated that they are actively exploring offset options, including biogas power generation projects, while also evaluating options for reusing waste heat from the facility. Cooling is expected to be air-cooled, with limited water usage. The facility will be located near Huawei's Reading office.