Macquarie expands IC3 Super West data centre for AI demand

Macquarie Data Centres has expanded its IC3 Super West data centre to increase its IT load to 45 megawatts, a 41 per cent increase from its original plans.

The expansion reflects Macquarie Data Centres’ expansion plans to meet rapidly rising demand for power and data-hungry artificial intelligence (AI) workloads in Australia while creating a home for hyperscale cloud customers.

“According to CSIRO, the Australian economy could gain $315 billion by 2028 through the integration of AI. However, unlocking the full potential of AI hinges on the availability of advanced AI-ready data centres,” Macquarie Data Centres group executive David Hirst said. 

“To ensure optimal performance in training and inference of these AI models, we are designing our upcoming data centres to meet and surpass the demanding requirements for higher densities.”

IC3 Super West will be able to efficiently support the high densities and multi-megawatt power requirements of new AI chip and server infrastructure. 

The state-of-the-art data centre will also have the cooling requirements to match, by optimising air and liquid cooling technologies.

This marks the third edition to the provider’s Macquarie Park Data Centre Campus in Sydney’s premier North Zone. The increase in planned capacity will mean the total campus IT load could reach 63MW.

Macquarie Data Centres’ ambitious growth plans were bolstered by a $160 million capital raise in June 2023.

At the time, the capital raise was expected to be put towards its future-focused expansion strategy, which involves acquiring sites in Sydney to accelerate growth and support the AI megatrend.