Digital Realty Breaks Ground on 22MW Ankara Data Center

Digital Realty has broken ground on a 22MW data center in Ankara, Türkiye, with the facility scheduled to go live in 2028.

The company announced the construction start this week. It first disclosed the project in September 2024. Digital Realty has not yet shared full technical details of the facility.

The developer is building the site through a joint venture with Turkish investment firm Rönesans Infrastructure.

Why Türkiye, and why now?

Digital Realty frames Ankara as a geographic play. "Strategically positioned at the crossroads of Europe, the Middle East and Asia, Türkiye represents an important new chapter in the growth of our global platform, helping businesses access the connectivity and infrastructure they need to thrive," the company said.

Paula Cogan, managing director and head of EMEA at Digital Realty, tied the groundbreaking to the company's wider regional strategy. "Today's groundbreaking ceremony in Ankara, Türkiye is a reflection of the long-term commitment and investment we have for our EMEA strategy at Digital Realty," Cogan said.

In plain terms: the operator is anchoring its Turkish entry with a single 22MW campus and a local partner.

Who is Rönesans?

Rönesans Holding, founded in 1993, is a Turkish contracting and investment company. Its operations span:

• construction
• real estate development
• energy
• industrial facilities
• health

The holding company brings local delivery capacity that Digital Realty lacks in the market on its own.

How large can the JV grow?

The Ankara site is not the ceiling. Under the two companies' joint venture, the partners are also targeting a development in Istanbul.

The JV could eventually reach 200MW of combined capacity and draw up to $3 billion in investment, according to the companies.

That would place the Türkiye portfolio among Digital Realty's larger national footprints outside its core US and Western European markets.

One line: a 22MW start in 2028, with a path to 200MW and $3 billion behind it.