AFR: Anthropic runs a tender for more than 1.4 GW of Australian data-centre capacity, worth up to US$15B
Partly confirmed
The takeaway
The Australian Financial Review reported in early July 2026, from confidential tender documents, that Anthropic was seeking a long-term development partner for a data-centre campus of more than 1.4 GW in Australia, with at least 1 GW online by the end of 2027.
Status
- Claim
Partly confirmed
- Our reporting
- Medium confidence
- Importance
- 2 of 5
- Last verified
- 12 October 2026
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Key facts
- Scope: a campus exceeding 1.4 GW; target of at least 1 GW online by end-2027 (AFR, via W.Media, July 10)
- Financing: Anthropic estimated US$12–15B in debt and equity; its tender documents acknowledge that it is rated non-investment-grade, and bidders had to explain how financing would be underwritten (W.Media)
- Bidders asked for proposals: CDC Data Centres, AirTrunk, NEXTDC, IREN, Stack Infrastructure; initial proposals came earlier in 2026 and shortlisted bidders held meetings in Canberra
- Anthropic may split the work among several providers. Search summaries of the AFR report (not read directly) say four or five providers, with CDC expected to take the largest share (~500 MW), and a decision ‘at least six weeks’ away
- Background: in April 2026 Anthropic became the first AI company to sign a memorandum of understanding under Australia’s National AI Plan; it has a Sydney office and advertised Australian data-centre roles (W.Media)
- Market reaction: IREN shares rose about 13% on the report (TIKR; figure from a search summary)
- Status on Oct 12, 2026: no winner announced in the sources we found. The original AFR article is paywalled and was not read; the date is taken from the AFR URL (July 5) as reported by W.Media
What happened
The AFR obtained tender documents showing that Anthropic asked five data-centre operators to bid on a campus of more than 1.4 GW in Australia. Anthropic wants at least 1 GW running by the end of 2027 and may divide the project between several operators.
Why it matters
It would be one of the largest data-centre projects in Australia and Anthropic’s first large build outside the US. The tender documents also show how Anthropic’s sub-investment-grade credit shapes its leases: landlords have to arrange the financing.
Sources
2 sources from 2 sites. Numbers match the chips in the text.
2 sources: 2 press
Press
Changes
- Filed as a review from a lead. Written from secondary coverage of the paywalled AFR report