Keppel plans two more cable systems, more data centre capacity

After Bifrost Cable System, data centre powerhouse Keppel hopes to build two more cable systems connecting SEA to Asia - and beyond

Two weeks ago, I wrote that Keppel's Bifrost Cable System has received US regulatory go-ahead and will go live by 2H 2025. Turns out it's planning more subsea cables.

Data centre powerhouse

Keppel has reinvented itself in recent years. Where data centres are concerned, it is now a strategic ecosystem partner in various related niches:

• Power.
• Green energy.
• (District) Cooling.
• Subsea cables.

Keppel also operates multiple data centres through subsidiary Keppel Data Centres, growing from just 240MW of data centre capacity in 2018 to 650MW in 2024.

And plans are afoot to further increase its data centre capacity.

Further growth ahead

I've previously written about Keppel Data Centres wanting to rewrite the script on sustainable data centres with a 1GW "Datapark+" data centre campus in Singapore.

Briefing notes Keppel sent out recently outlined plans to increase its data centre capacity to 1.2GW in the "near-term". Could this be related to the above campus? I have no idea.

The same briefing deck also mentions Keppel's plan to pursue two more cable systems with over 30 fibre pairs, connecting Southeast Asia to the rest of Asia and beyond.

In my view, Keppel's pivot puts it in an excellent position to harness new opportunities in sustainable data centres and AI.

Notably, it has all the in-house expertise needed to build its Datapark+ data centre campus, which will incorporate centralised systems for power and cooling.

Do you think Datapark+ will materialise soon?