Joint venture announced for major Greater Manchester data centre project
A large-scale data centre planned for Greater Manchester could become one of the biggest in Europe following a new joint development agreement between Eclipse Power Group and Carlton Power.
The proposed site, Future Point Manchester, would be located at the Carrington energy park and aims to support the UK government’s ambitions to expand artificial intelligence (AI) growth zones. Subject to planning and regulatory approval, the development could attract over £10 billion in private investment and is projected to add £1.8 billion to the UK economy while creating 3,000 jobs in the North.
Designed to meet the increasing energy demands of hyperscale data centres, the project will be supported by a 1.4 gigawatt bilateral grid connection, expected to be energised in 2028. An additional 500 megawatts of on-site low-carbon generation will be installed to enhance the site’s overall energy capacity.
The partnership between Eclipse, an independent distribution network operator (IDNO) owned by Octopus Energy Generation, and Carlton Power, a UK energy infrastructure developer, will oversee the design, construction, and operation of the site’s local power systems.
Eclipse and Carlton Power say co-locating the data centre alongside a major low-carbon energy production facility will provide a resilient and sustainable power supply, meeting the demands of data-intensive industries. The electricity will be delivered through a private network, part of a wider strategy to ensure reliable power for large technology users.
The project comes at a time when investor interest in UK data centres is growing, particularly in the North, amid rising demand for digital infrastructure and a parallel need for robust energy solutions. Meanwhile, recent grid reforms by the National Energy System Operator (NESO) are aimed at clearing the backlog of stalled renewable projects to prioritise “industries of the future” such as data centres and green energy developments.
Regulator Ofgem has approved the new measures, which could unlock as much as £40 billion in annual investment by removing projects not ready for connection from the grid queue.
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Joint venture announced for major Greater Manchester data centre project, source
