Colombia's US$3.43 Billion Data Center Pipeline Could Add More Than 400 MW in New Capacity

Written by Amir Richani for IIR News Intelligence (Sugar Land, Texas)

Summary

Colombia's power matrix and the country's new government could help drive more interest in data center development.

Growing Interest in Latin America

Data center capacity across Latin America has grown in recent years, with international companies announcing investments across the region, and Colombia is no exception. While smaller than Brazil or Mexico in terms of operating capacity, Colombia is attracting growing interest from data center developers.

According to Industrial Info Resources data, there are 52 data center projects in Colombia representing US$3.51 billion in potential investments. Together, these projects could add more than 400 megawatts (MW) of data center capacity. Six of the projects are already under construction, while the remainder are in planning stages.

ODATA is the biggest investor in data centers in Colombia with a pipeline of 13 projects, representing US$2 billion in combined investments and 224 MW in planned capacity. Odata's data center campus in Tenjo, Cundinamarca, would be Colombia's biggest data center hub.

For a deep-dive into data centers in Latin America, watch the Industrial Info Resources podcast -- Latin America Data Center Outlook 2026: Power, Hubs & Growth.

In 2024, ODATA announced US$1.3 billion in two Colombian campuses. It said that its data centers would be the first in the country to connect to the local power transmission system, allowing the company to achieve scalability and sustainability.

Colombia already has a solid data center market with 34 operational facilities and an operational capacity of 114 MW, and includes major players like Equinix.

Operating data centers and projects are concentrated in Bogota and the neighboring Cundinamarca department. However, other departments (states), like Valle del Cauca and Atlantico, have also attracted interest from companies like IFX Networks and Cotel Wave DC.

New Government

This data center pipeline coincides with President Abelardo de La Espriella's new mandate, a right-wing government that has opened the door to international investments in multiple industries, including data centers. De La Espriella assumed office in August.

As part of that, on September 2, Alexandra Falla Zerrate, Colombia's minister of information and communications technology, said developing a computing and data center strategy was among the ministry's priorities for the new administration's first 100 days.

In line with domestic policy to encourage investments, the Colombian government plans to present 86 public and private projects worth US$56.8 billion in potential investments at Milagro Week in New York during November 16-18 in an effort to attract foreign investments. The online catalog of projects to be presented includes the hyperscale Hub Bogota, developed by Grupo ZFB. 

Electricity Matrix

Data centers require substantial electricity to run servers and cooling systems. Data center development in Colombia is supported by the nation's electricity power mix, which is dominated by hydropower and backed by a growing expansion of solar capacity.

According to XM, Colombia's grid operator, by the end of the third quarter, the national grid had a net effective generating capacity of 13,229 MW from hydropower, followed by 6,376 MW from thermal plants, and 2,590 MW from solar.

Non-conventional renewable technologies like solar continue gaining ground in Colombia, increasing its capacity between 2024 and 2026, while several large-scale wind projects remain in the pipeline. This growth in renewable technologies makes Colombia an attractive destination for data center development.

Key Takeaways

• Industrial Info Resources is tracking 114 MW of operating data center capacity in Colombia.
• Data center projects in Colombia could add more than MW of capacity.
• Hydropower accounted for 59.6% of net effective generating capacity on Colombia's national grid as of September 30.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, Industrial Info Resources is tracking over 250,000 current and future projects worth $30.2 Trillion (USD).