Warehouses De Pauw Plans Two Data Center Projects in Romania's Ilfov County with 380MW Combined Power Demand

Belgian real estate firm Warehouses De Pauw (WDP) is evaluating the development of two new data centers in Ilfov County, southern Romania, a move that could significantly expand the country's digital infrastructure footprint. The facilities, planned for an industrial park owned by the company in the commune of Ștefăneștii de Jos, would carry a combined grid connection agreement of 380MW, signaling a major energy commitment in a market poised for rapid growth.

The project's IT compute capacity has not been disclosed, but the grid connection deal has already received approval. According to Profit.ro, which first reported the story, Lamas Invest—a firm owned by WDP Romania's country manager, Jeroen Biermans—will co-develop the project. If realized, the two data centers are expected to become operational by 2030. To support the substantial power requirements, a 220kV transformer station is likely to be constructed in Ștefăneștii de Jos, connecting the facilities to the nearby Fundeni-Brazi Vest 1 overhead power line.

WDP has remained cautious about confirming the specifics. A company spokesperson told DCD that it is "still too early to speak of a concrete project" in Ilfov County and was therefore unable to verify the details of Profit.ro's report. However, the spokesperson added, "WDP has a general interest in data centers. Given their energy-intensive nature, securing sufficient grid connection and power capacity is a critical first step before any potential development can be considered. We assess such opportunities across our European markets as part of our broader strategy, alongside our core logistics real estate activities."

WDP, headquartered in Wolvertem, Belgium, is primarily a logistics real estate developer. Its Romanian portfolio comprises 21.5 million sq ft (2 million sqm) of warehouses and logistics hubs, valued at €1.6 billion ($1.8 billion). The company's last major investment in the country was the construction of a 344,445 sq ft (32,000 sqm) distribution center on the outskirts of Bucharest.

Ilfov County surrounds Bucharest, Romania's capital and the epicenter of the nation's data center activity. Romania currently hosts 65 operational data centers, according to DataCenterMap, ranking second in the region behind Poland's 112 facilities. The addition of WDP's two sites would markedly increase the power demands of Romania's data center market. A recent forecast from the national grid operator Transelectrica projects that the country's current 100MW data center power demand will surge to 370MW by 2030 and reach 680MW by 2035.

Industry observers note that WDP's entry into the data center space reflects a broader trend of traditional real estate firms diversifying into digital infrastructure, drawn by the sector's stable, long-term returns. For Romania, the project underscores the country's growing attractiveness as a data center hub in Eastern Europe, driven by its strategic location and improving grid capacity. Yet, the company's cautious stance highlights the complexities of such ventures, particularly around securing power and navigating permitting processes in a market still maturing relative to Western European peers.