Orange and Morrison in €3B French Data Centre Venture to Meet AI Demand
Major Joint Venture Announced to Boost AI and Cloud Infrastructure
Overview of the Orange-Morrison Partnership
July 27 (Reuters) - French telecoms operator Orange and infrastructure investor Morrison plan to create a data centre joint venture in France to expand capacity and meet rising demand for artificial intelligence and cloud services, the companies said on Monday.
Investment and Capacity Expansion Details
The 50-50 venture would target 400 megawatts of capacity, nearly 10 times Orange's current level, and would be supported by a €3 billion ($3.41 billion) investment programme combining Orange assets, Morrison funding and debt.
Asset Contributions and Funding Structure
Orange would contribute five data centres in France, while Morrison would provide equity funding to support the platform's growth.
Timeline and Transaction Completion
The companies expect to sign the transaction by the end of 2026 and complete it in the first quarter of 2027, subject to approvals.
Currency Exchange Rate
($1 = 0.8794 euros)
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Anna Peverieri in Barcelona; Editing by Chris Reese)
