PointOne is positioned to solve some of the more complicated aspects of data center development so users can feel comfortable selecting the right partner and the perfect land for planned deployments.
In the first blog (Vetted Land) of this series, we examined the benefits of choosing a site that has already been vetted and permitted through a developer like PointOne. This blog examines the second part of the puzzle, Powered Land — land with contracted power infrastructure. Choosing a site contracted for electricity and wired to a grid can help drastically reduce potential risks and decrease time to market.
Powered land ensures there is a committed power load from the local utility, usually ranging between 50-200MW. The guarantee for the full power ramp is committed to the platt, meaning the users are ready to start building their substation as soon as they lay down roots, drastically reducing time to market.
PointOne helps data center users rapidly scale their footprint by delivering land that has committed power with a signed power agreement from the utility provider that services the land. There is already committed power before construction begins, ensuring there are no utility roadblocks during construction. This not only reduces time to market but effectively mitigates the risk companies take when selecting their building site.
A common hurdle data center operators encounter is having to significantly delay construction starts in order to facilitate enough power through the utility provider. This is a familiar narrative in new markets that don’t have existing access to high voltage power and whose utility providers may be unprepared for large campus deployment requirements. This often leads to a long-lead process following acquisition of the site and prior to construction. By selecting powered land through a site developer like PointOne, clients can rest easy knowing that they already have a commitment from the utility provider for the full amount they will need to complete the project, and that initial power will immediately be available when they break first ground.
PointOne anticipates customer needs when deploying rapidly. PointOne handles the provision of a bridge service to address immediate power needs. A bridge service from a utility provider is an existing connection that helps customers maintain essential utility services during the building period until their substation is complete. Data centers are powered by their own on-site substations, which keeps them from drawing power from the public grid. A bridge service acts as a seamless link in the period between breaking ground and when the substation is operational, preventing any lag in essential power requirements. PointOne anticipates the future power needs of their clients and negotiates and executes a bridge contract, paying for the initial start-up until the user takes over. This allows the facility to be online much quicker and reduces time to market while ensuring that the planned power ramp is fully committed and in place.
The exact power loads for each site are determined in the initial phases of site selection. PointOne masterplans their campuses before they are marketed. Sites are predetermined with the number of buildings they can support, power availability, and signed agreements ensuring that the utility provider can supply what is needed. While the actual build out can still be customizable, this master plan allows data centers operators to understand the full breadth of the site’s capabilities before construction.
PointOne is dedicated to giving clients the cutting edge when it comes to developing their own data center campus and has taken the steps to drastically reduce time to market and mitigate the potential risks of building out a campus. By partnering with PointOne, data center operators can ensure all the boxes are checked before they take the leap, giving them the advantage in the highly competitive data center development space.