Highlights

  • CDC secures a landmark 555MW, 30-year data centre contract with a US customer
  • Total contracted capacity surpasses 1GW, reinforcing market leadership
  • Strong demand for AI, cloud, and secure infrastructure driving long-term growth

Overview

Infratil Limited (NZX:IFT) holds a 49.7% stake in CDC Group Holdings Pty Ltd, alongside co-investors Future Fund (34.5%), Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation (12.0%), and CDC’s management team (3.7%). CDC Data Centres has signed a record-breaking 555MW data centre contract with a US-based investment-grade customer, marking the largest deal of its kind in Australia. The long-term agreement spans 30 years, with potential extensions of up to 20 years, and will be delivered across facilities currently under development, expected to come online between FY28 and FY29. This deal lifts CDC’s total contracted capacity beyond 1GW, highlighting rapid growth in demand for digital infrastructure across Australasia. Supported by strong funding access and a stable credit profile, CDC is well positioned to scale operations and capitalise on increasing global demand for data processing and AI-driven workloads.

What Makes This Contract Significant?

The 555MW agreement represents a major milestone for both CDC and Australia’s data centre industry. It is the largest contract ever signed in the country and accounts for a substantial share of national data centre capacity. The scale and long-term nature of the deal reflect growing global demand for high-performance computing, particularly driven by artificial intelligence and cloud services. It also reinforces Australasia’s attractiveness as a destination for large-scale digital infrastructure, thanks to its political stability, competitive construction costs, and increasing access to renewable energy sources.

How Will This Impact CDC’s Growth Outlook?

This contract significantly strengthens CDC’s long-term earnings visibility and growth trajectory. With total contracted capacity now exceeding 1GW, the company expects substantial increases in future earnings as new capacity becomes operational. While near-term guidance remains unchanged, the deal is expected to drive strong EBITDA growth from FY28 onwards. Importantly, the project will be funded through existing resources, debt facilities, and hybrid financing, without requiring additional equity. This positions CDC to continue expanding while maintaining financial flexibility, benefiting from strong investor confidence and access to global capital markets.