A data center project on the site of the Saint-Avold coal-fired power station

The GazelEnergie group, a subsidiary of the Czech energy producer EPH, announced on Tuesday, September 2, that it is in discussions with a view to establishing a data center on its site in Saint-Avold (Moselle), where it has a coal-fired power station that is to be converted to gas.

"We have been in discussions with various partners for over a year with a view to setting up a data center, since power plants are a prime location for this type of project," which is particularly energy-intensive, said Frédéric Faroche, president of GazelEnergie, during a videoconference press conference.

The group could invest on its own or alongside a co-investor, he said.

"One of the critical points" of a data center is energy consumption," emphasized Antonin Arnoux, director of the Saint-Avold site. "That's why it really makes sense for an energy company to support the development of this type of infrastructure."

The Emile-Huchet power plant in Saint-Avold has the capacity to provide long-term electricity supply as well as backup solutions if the electricity network encounters certain failures, and also has cooling systems, he stressed.

These elements allow the commissioning of data centers from 2028, with a capacity of up to 300 MW.

Since 2020, GazelEnergie has invested €100 million in the Saint-Avold site and, subject to obtaining all administrative authorizations, is aiming to convert the plant in 2027, a deadline mentioned by Emmanuel Macron in 2023. Without conversion, the Saint-Avold plant would have had to close in 2027, jeopardizing 500 direct and indirect jobs.

A so-called "Saint-Avold" law was adopted in April, paving the way for this conversion.

According to this schedule, the winter of 2025/2026 would be the last coal-fired production season and the work, estimated to last 18 months, would begin in 2026.

"We have already conducted a number of preparatory studies which demonstrate the feasibility of this conversion and we will submit the application for modification of the operating permit at the start of the school year," declared Mr. Faroche.

At the same time, GazelEnergie is continuing to develop electricity storage batteries.

According to Mr. Faroche, the objective is to make Saint-Avold "one of the first French hubs for electricity storage batteries since we will have around a hundred megawatts in operation by 2026 and we are ultimately aiming for up to 300 megawatts in service by 2028", bringing the total capacity of the site to 400 MW.