Rostelecom is working on creating buried data centers with an enhanced level of protection. The operator is discussing one such facility with Nornickel. This is reported by Vedomosti, citing sources familiar with the companies’ plans. Interest in underground siting is linked to a rethinking of approaches to the security of digital infrastructure.
At Rostelecom, underground placement is viewed as the third and most protected tier of infrastructure. The first involves a backup site with copies of data in case the primary one is damaged. The second involves a distributed architecture, in which computing capacity and services are placed at several geographically separated facilities. The third tier is a buried data center designed for the most serious threat scenarios. The company selects the specific configuration based on the client’s tasks, required capacity, geography, and budget.
Nornickel is attractive for the project not only because of its existing underground structures but also because of its own power generation and its experience building and operating facilities in harsh northern conditions. The parameters and timeline of a possible facility have not been disclosed.
The main constraint is cost. An above-ground data center in Russia costs on average RUB 1.2–1.3 billion per megawatt of IT load. An underground facility of comparable capacity may cost 30–40% more. In real projects, especially in the North, the final budget can more than double because of lining and waterproofing of workings, mine ventilation, gas monitoring, fire suppression, evacuation, equipment hoisting, and laying redundant power and communication lines.
One possible option is adapting depleted coal pits up to 300 meters deep. However, this format will not become mainstream. According to expert estimates, by 2031 underground data centers will take only 1–3% of the market, or roughly 5–10 sites with a capacity of 5–10 megawatts. They will be used primarily for the most critical government and corporate systems.
Interest in protected sites has intensified following recommendations from the Ministry of Digital Development. The ministry proposed underground, rock, or bunker siting for strategically important data centers, as well as physical protection and redundancy measures.
An underground data center remains an expensive, niche solution, but for critical infrastructure it may become the only option. If the talks between Rostelecom and Nornickel end in a deal, Russia will gain one of its first sites with this level of protection.
Source: Vedomosti
Image: Åke E:son Lindman
