Jun 29, 2026 | Posted by Abdul-Rahman Oladimeji
Xlinks, the company behind the proposed Morocco–UK power cable, has unveiled plans for a 1.5GW AI data center campus in Devon.
The project, announced this week, includes two planning applications submitted to Torridge District Council: the 1.5GW Valeon AI data center campus and a 1.8GW battery energy storage system designed to support the facility. Few details have been released, but a site rendering shows five buildings and an on-site substation.
Xlinks said the project would deliver significant economic investment, skilled jobs, and clean energy infrastructure to the South West, representing more than £12 billion ($16.4 billion) in investment. Public consultation on the proposals will run from July 14 to August 11.
Founded in 2018, Xlinks previously developed the Morocco–UK Power Project, a 3.6GW subsea interconnector intended to carry renewable energy from Morocco to the UK, landing at Alverdiscott. The UK government withdrew support for the 2,500-mile project last year, with officials saying it was no longer in the national interest. Early investors included TAQA, TotalEnergies, and Octopus Energy.
“North Devon is not an empty space waiting to be industrialised. It is a living landscape of farms, villages, wildlife and communities that have existed for generations,” the petition states. “We believe this proposal is entirely inappropriate for this location and should not proceed.”
