Water-Scarce Serbian Town Plans Europe's Largest Data Center on Vague Intent

Dimitrovgrad, a town grappling with significant water scarcity that led to a state of emergency last year, is now slated to become the site of Europe's largest data center. Mayor Vladica Dimitrov announced the ambitious project, which is expected to consume vast amounts of water, a resource the municipality already struggles to provide.

The entire plan hinges on a letter of intent submitted by the construction company "Jadran." Crucially, the identity of the potential investor remains undisclosed, and many critical details about the data center's design and operation are missing. Questions about how the facility will be cooled, a vital aspect for data centers, have yet to be addressed.

"Jadran," owned by Nikola Malbaša, has secured numerous lucrative public tenders. Forbes reports that Ivan Pantelić, owner of the engineering firm Kodar, is involved. Kodar has a history of significant business dealings with Elektromreža Srbije, a state-owned enterprise formerly managed by Nikola Petrović, a close associate of Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić.

Mayor Dimitrov expressed enthusiasm, calling the project "unreal money" and envisioning Dimitrovgrad as the "Silicon Valley" of Eastern Serbia, predicting regional jealousy over its capacity. He mentioned consultations with Kodar and alluded to potential investment from "big global IT companies" or "world banks," but could not definitively name the investor or provide concrete financial backing details. A large solar power plant, "Brebeks," is planned nearby to supply electricity, with vegetation already cleared from 240 hectares for its construction.

“

Every municipality in Europe would have adopted it yesterday. It's unreal money.