Chris Thorpe (Leading Edge Data Centres)
Leading Edge Data Centres has opened its next regional facility, this time in Dubbo, NSW, as it continues its data centre rollout.
The data centre operator said it plans to invest $7.7 million into the Dubbo facility spread out across FY21 and FY22, out of a total of $30 million.
The data centre launch comes as Dubbo faces “poor connectivity and low resilience due to reliance on Sydney-based data centres, coupled with regular power and network outages,” Leading Edge DC claimed.
“Local Dubbo businesses will be able to access advanced digital infrastructure in a secure facility, with better connectivity and choice of provider,” said Nationals MP and Member for Dubbo Dugald Saunders.
“The benefits for Dubbo are far-reaching as there will be new jobs and local economic growth which will positively impact the entire Orana region.”
CEO and founder of Leading Edge DC Chris Thorpe added that the launch of the facility is a “huge step forward” for both Dubbo and Western NSW.
“We are proud to have created so many regional jobs in the design, fabrication and build of the data centres, but more importantly 621 new jobs are forecast to be created in the Orana Region and an additional $57 million into the local economy, empowering the regional companies that are able to compete on an equal footing with metropolitan cities and the world,” he said.
Leading Edge DC’s data centre roll-out started in Newcastle, NSW, with its construction lasting from August 2020 to February 2021.
That particular data centre integrated technology from Cisco and Megaport, as well as Schneider Electric, the latter of which being part of a deal for Leading Edge DC’s first six sites to be provided with prefabricated data centre modules.
Its second centre meanwhile was located in Tamworth and opened its doors in November.
In total, the data centre operator has 26 regional facilities planned, with future locations including Albury, Wagga, Coffs Harbour and Bathurst in NSW and Shepparton, Bendigo, Ballarat, Geelong, Traralgon, Horsham and Mildura in Victoria.
