10 August 2026
CDC Data Centres and Contact Energy are working together to explore a potential data centre at Stratford, Taranaki, on land near Contact's former Taranaki Combined Cycle power station.
The Stratford site offers a strong combination of energy and connectivity infrastructure including diverse high-capacity fibre, both terrestrial and subsea, which connects the site to Auckland where New Zealand's international cables land. CDC Founder and Chief Executive Greg Boorer said Stratford presented a rare opportunity to bring renewable energy and critical digital infrastructure together in one location.
"CDC builds the infrastructure that governments, health systems, emergency services, researchers and financial institutions depend on. This is where sovereign data is held, where critical systems stay online, and where the most sensitive information stays in country," Mr Boorer said.
"Stratford has the potential to bring together renewable generation, grid connection, fibre and a skilled technical workforce in a way very few places can. That combination is why we are looking at it seriously."
A facility at Stratford would be designed to support critical and sovereign workloads: government and public sector systems, healthcare and emergency services, scientific and research computing, banking and payments, and the communications networks that must remain available when other systems fail. CDC's New Zealand data centres are powered by 100 per cent renewable electricity and have been Toitū net carbon zero certified since their first year of operation. CDC has also achieved a Toitū Enviromark Diamond certification for the fourth year running which is the highest level within the Toitū Enviromark programme and recognises organisations that have embedded environmental management into the way they operate, make decisions and drive continual improvement.
It is intended that electricity for the proposed facility would be supplied under long-term contract, supported by new generation from Contact's renewable development pipeline. Large-scale, long-term demand of this kind can help underpin investment in new renewable generation and battery storage, strengthening the wider energy system rather than competing for existing supply.
CDC is extremely proud to use a closed-loop cooling system at all of its developed facilities. This system is filled once at construction, typically using captured rainwater, and recirculated for the life of the facility. CDC facilities do not draw on local water supplies, rivers or groundwater on an ongoing basis. For Stratford, CDC will explore a pathway to a net zero water-use cooling solution, including rainwater collection and reuse designed into the facility.
The project remains at an exploration stage. Any development would be subject to due diligence, consenting and commercial requirements and engagement with key stakeholders. Neither company has committed to construct a facility.