A prototype next-generation data center recently installed at an existing electric substation in Gilbert, Arizona  by the Salt River Project (SRP) and BASELAYER is scheduled to commence operations this week. 

The SRP DataStation will eliminate the need for additional commercial and residential overhead power lines, as well as reduce the infrastructure’s complexity.

SRP will power the data center with 100 percent renewable energy through its Renewable Energy Credit (REC) program, an initiative available to all SRP commercial customers dedicated to sustainability.

BASELAYER, an advanced modular data center hardware and software company, and SRP have created a unique partnership with the mutual goal of increasing efficiency and reducing energy consumption. 

"Even though this is a pilot project, we believe the SRP DataStation will be a game changer," Mark Bonsall, SRP's general manager and CEO, said. "DataStations are really quite a revolutionary concept, and we are pleased that BASELAYER joined with us to bring this idea to life."

Anticipating that DataStations will play a critical role in future computing grid, SRP plans to locate them where utilities intersect easily with telecommunications. If the prototype performs as expected, SRP DataStations could be available for commercial placement of modular data centers in the near future.

BASELAYER "shares SRP's vision for delivering the most reliable, most efficient data center capacity available anywhere," CEO William Slessman said. "SRP is truly setting a new standard for data centers that will enable continued growth in this critical industry while minimizing the cost and inconvenience of new transmission infrastructure."

Tempe, Arizona-based SRP is the oldest multipurpose federal reclamation project in the United States. The utility has served central Arizona since 1903—nearly 10 years before Arizona became the 48th state.