Firmus Proposes Third Data Center In Tasmania

Firmus Technologies has proposed a 52MW data center at the former Mill Park paper mill site in Wesley Vale, Tasmania. The project would include a 3,500 sqm (37,695 sq ft) main building, with a 2,690 sqm (28,945 sq ft) data hall. The facility would stand about 8.5 meters tall, rising to 15 meters with rooftop equipment.

Firmus said the nearby Wesley Vale substation could support an initial 26MW grid connection using existing infrastructure. The company also plans to upgrade the substation for a future 26MW connection. Of the project’s 52MW capacity, 46MW will serve IT loads, with 40 diesel generators providing backup power. The data center will use Firmus’ HyperCube cooling system, which requires only limited water during hot weather.

According to ABC, Firmus previously planned to use water from Tasmanian Irrigation but now says it will rely on rainwater and truck-delivered water. Public comments on the project are open until September 9, with the Latrobe Council expected to consider the application later this year. Firmus is also developing a 288MW data center in Bell Bay and a 104MW facility in Launceston, all under its Project Southgate initiative, which targets 1.6GW of AI compute capacity by 2028.