EDF and OpCore join forces to develop high-power data centre in Paris

EDF and OpCore have teamed up to develop a high-power data centre on the site of a former coal-fired power plant in Montereau Vallée-de-la-Seine, in the wider Paris metropolitan region.

EDF and OpCore, a joint venture between iliad Group and funds managed by InfraVia Capital Partners, have entered into exclusive negotiations with a view to developing a data centre “of several hundred megawatts” on the site, they said.

The partners said the project represents an investment by OpCore of approximately €4bn and is in line with EDF’s strategy to support digital companies in developing new data centres in France.

This project is also a part of the call for expressions of interest launched by EDF on 3 March 2025 aimed at promoting the establishment of high-power data centres on sites it owns. EDF said these sites have been “specifically prepared to accommodate such strategic infrastructure”.

As France’s third-largest industrial landowner, EDF offers sites and support for accelerated connection to the electricity grid, enabling optimal project implementation timelines.

Roland Lescure, French Minister of the Economy, Finance, and Digital and Industrial Sovereignty, said: “This massive investment proves how France intends to lead the AI revolution. By housing such large strategic facilities on our soil, we’re reiterating our determination to reindustrialise our country, create regional employment and make France a major digital power.”

Anne Le Henanff, French Minister Delegate in charge of artificial intelligence and digital technologies, said: “I’m delighted with this announcement that marks a major step forward for our national digital strategy. This €4bn investment reflects the goal we set ourselves at the AI Action Summit in Paris last February, namely making it a priority to build data centres on French soil. With this large-scale project led by EDF and OpCore, whose commitment I find commendable, France is confirming its ability to host data centres that are among the most powerful in Europe. We are clearly demonstrating how we have the assets to make France a global driver of artificial intelligence.

“And we are proving that French and European digital sovereignty, which I decided would be the guiding thread of my ministerial work, is not an empty promise but instead a combat that is within our reach of winning.”

Bernard Fontana, chairman and CEO of EDF, said: “This partnership with OpCore is aligned with EDF’s mission – to provide actors in the digital sector with abundant, reliable, low-carbon electricity produced in France. By offering sites equipped with the necessary infrastructure and support for rapid grid connection, we are accelerating the development of next-generation infrastructure, thereby strengthening the country’s digital sovereignty while supporting the economic momentum of the local area.”

Thomas Reynaud, CEO of the iliad Group, said: “With this project we’re going much further than just building a data centre. We’re creating one of the largest strategic facilities that France and Europe as a whole need to retain control of their digital destiny. Thanks to EDF’s commitment and support from the public authorities, the Montereau site will become a site of excellence as an AI computing center and for European innovation.

“This marks a key step towards strengthening our technological sovereignty and generating sustainable value for our country.”

Vincent Levita, founder and CEO of InfraVia Capital Partners, said: “At a time when data is becoming a sovereign asset, energy is its foundation. This strategic partnership with EDF highlights OpCore’s strength, the recognition of its industrial expertise, and its ambition to become a leading hyperscale data-centre player in Europe. Fast access to abundant, decarbonised energy is essential to deploy large-scale infrastructure, from hyperscale campuses to gigafactories.”