Greece is positioning itself to become a regional hub for data centres in Southeast Europe, according to a new study presented by the Ministry of Digital Governance (Greece) in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment and Energy (Greece) and the Ministry of Development (Greece).
Officials unveiled the study during an event at the Athens Conservatoire attended by Digital Governance and Artificial Intelligence Minister Dimitris Papastergiou and Development Minister Takis Theodorikakos.
The research, prepared by PwC, highlighted significant opportunities for Greece in the rapidly expanding sector of digital infrastructure. Authorities emphasised that the goal is not uncontrolled development of data centres but balanced and sustainable growth that limits energy consumption while leveraging the country’s comparative advantages.
Because of its geographic position at the crossroads of three continents—Europe, Asia and Africa—along with strong international connectivity and access to emerging markets in Southeast Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean, Greece could become a key regional hub for data centres and digital services.
According to the study’s findings, the sector’s regional growth could create a market of up to 5 gigawatts (GW) across Southeast Europe, driven largely by demand from Central and Eastern Europe as well as the Middle East.
Greece is considered well placed to capture a significant share of this growing market thanks to its geostrategic location, telecommunications infrastructure and integration with international digital networks.
Strong investor interest has already emerged for new data centre projects in the country. Proposed developments exceed 1 GW of capacity—more than twenty times the current installed capacity in operation. Authorities have received more than 35 requests to connect data centre projects to the national electricity grid, with around 35 per cent already granted connection terms.
Most requests relate to the region of Attica, though investment interest has also appeared in Thessaloniki, Western Macedonia, Boeotia, Corinth, Megalopolis and Crete. Potential investors include hyperscalers, data centre providers, public bodies, energy companies and infrastructure investors.
The study also examined global trends shaping digital infrastructure. Worldwide demand for data centre capacity is expected to triple by 2034, rising from 18 GW to 58 GW. The growth is driven by expanding artificial intelligence applications, cloud services, the rollout of 5G networks and increased demand for high-resolution streaming services.
Meanwhile, Europe’s main data centre hubs are operating at more than 90 per cent capacity and face power network constraints and licensing delays. These pressures are pushing investment towards emerging regional markets such as Southeast Europe.
However, the report stressed that careful planning is necessary for the sector’s development. It pointed to a geographic imbalance between areas with strong demand—particularly Attica—and regions with greater electricity capacity available for new facilities.
The country’s total electricity system capacity is estimated at around 1.9 GW in 2025 and is projected to reach 2.9 GW by 2034 under the national energy and climate plan.
Investors typically prioritise several factors when choosing locations for data centres, including connectivity, the availability of skilled labour, financial and licensing incentives, and proximity to urban and business centres with strong accessibility.
Papastergiou said Greece’s position at the intersection of three continents, combined with the numerous telecommunications cables and fibre networks crossing the Mediterranean Sea, provides a major strategic advantage.
He added that the government’s digital transformation strategy under Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis aims to develop Greece into a powerful data and infrastructure hub for the Southeastern Mediterranean and surrounding regions.
The minister cited major initiatives including the new national supercomputer “Daedalus”, the AI Factory “Pharos” and a second supercomputer planned in Kozani, all designed to strengthen computing power, data capacity and innovation.
Theodorikakos said Greece now has the necessary conditions to evolve into a reliable regional hub for digital infrastructure, thanks to its strategic location, connectivity networks, access to green energy and highly skilled workforce.
He added that the government views data centres not as isolated facilities but as ecosystems linked to cities, universities and the broader economy, capable of driving innovation, research and economic competitiveness.
