Data centre of the month: Tecto Data Centers’ TPOA1

Referred to as TPOA1, the proposed data centre by Tecto Data Centers will be developed near the company’s 33,000-square-metre plot of land in the Sarandi neighbourhood in Porto Alegre, Brazil.

First announced in January 2026, Tecto Data Centers has invested roughly R$200 million (~US$38-39 million) to develop the data centre, which is expected to have a total power capacity of 20 megawatts (MW). It will also be connected to the V.tal Malbec submarine cable that links Brazil and Argentina, which connects connecting Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Buenos Aires and soon Porto Alegre, the latter of which is currently under construction.

“This project reinforces Tecto’s strategy to expand its operations and infrastructure in key regions of the country, combining resilient connectivity, energy efficiency and proximity to major data consumption hubs,” says Tito Costa, CRO of Tecto.

Sustainable leadership in LATAM

In its first phase, TPOA1 is scheduled to begin operations in the fourth quarter of 2026, with 3MW of capacity to be delivered. Expansion will be gradual, the company said, with the project being carried out retrofit of an existing warehouse on the site, which is being adapted to suit the needs of high-performance data centres.

Notably, the data centre is expected to feature a closed-loop air-cooling system with zero water consumption – something that is being discussed plenty in the data centre industry currently. The facility will also operate with 100% renewable energy.

“The use of solar energy and efficient cooling solutions is part of our commitment to growing responsibly and innovatively, meeting the demands of global clients without compromising sustainability,” Costa added.

Hoping to serve technology giants and cloud providers, Tecto’s goal is to expand digital infrastructure supply in southern Brazil and strengthen Porto Alegre’s digital ecosystem, consolidating the city as a critical hub for connectivity and data infrastructure.

“This investment is a direct result of the position Rio Grande do Sul has achieved in recent years, driven by consistent efforts by the state government to transform the state into an international reference hub for technology and digital infrastructure, leading the country in innovation according to the Center for Public Leadership ranking,” said Rio Grande do Sul Governor Eduardo Leite.

Subsea connections to expand global reach

TPOA1 will also connect to the V.tal Malbec submarine cable, which will enable the new facility to gain access to significant infrastructure and connectivity all over South America. Developed by Meta, in partnership with V.tal, the Malbec cable is 2,500 km in length and entered service in 2021 to provide connectivity between the Southern Cone of South America and Brazil.

The new extension will be operational in 2027 and will link Porto Alegre to the cities of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, Brazil and Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Governor Leite added: “Connecting the new data centre to the Malbec submarine cable definitively places Rio Grande do Sul on the global data route, increases competitiveness, attracts high value-added businesses and generates sustainable economic development, with more qualified jobs, innovation and opportunities for the people of Rio Grande do Sul.”

With the new extension, the Malbec cable will be the first subsea cable to land in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, bringing more connectivity to millions of people in Southern Brazil and neighbouring countries.

Costa added: “The direct connection to V.tal’s Malbec cable positions Porto Alegre as a strategic point for critical applications, cloud services and content delivery.”

Powering LATAM investment

The news of the new data centre came the same day as V.tal announced it would be building a new submarine cable to connect Brazil to the US. Linking the US and Brazil and hoping to strengthen connectivity between both countries, the cable project will support growing AI demand and deliver high-capacity data traffic connectivity.

The new cable will include a branch in Fortleza in Brazil and enable direct interconnection with Mega Lobster, Tecto Data Centers’ largest data centre (TFOR3), with a total power capacity of 20MW. Tecto’s other data centres in Fortaleza, Ceará, Barranquilla and Colombia will also be connected.

The project aims to expand international data resilience across the Americas for companies that require robust networks capable of supporting large data traffic volumes.

“This submarine cable represents a strategic investment in strengthening digital connectivity between Brazil and the US,” said Felipe Campos, CEO of V.tal. “By integrating submarine, terrestrial, and data centre infrastructure, we are building a robust, scalable and future-ready platform capable of supporting the growth of the global digital economy and the exponential increase in data demand between the two countries.”

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Tecto Data Centers will also be attending our Capacity LATAM event. Find out more information below: