Argentina has 67 registered data centres, but just 52 are operational, according to the Tengo Data observatory. Another 13 projects have been announced; one is under construction, and one has been cancelled. That gap matters in a debate over how the country will use its land, water and electricity as Javier Milei promotes Argentina as a technology hub.
Milei says data centres could bring billions of dollars in investment and economic development. He has pointed to Argentina’s land, water and cheap energy, as well as the prospect of a legal framework tailored to major digital companies. Still, an announcement doesn’t mean a project has reached a final investment decision.
Investment Plans, Not Finished Deals
OpenAI and Sur Energy signed a Letter of Intent in October 2025 to develop a data centre in Patagonia, with a potential investment of up to US$25 billion. The companies haven’t confirmed a final investment decision, and no one has verified the location.
Poland’s Green Capital announced plans in July 2026 for a facility in Trelew, Chubut Province. The company says the first phase would provide 300 megawatts, with a final target of 3,000 MW for technological infrastructure. It aims to finish discussions with investors and potential clients by 2027, while construction is projected to begin in 2028.
Pablo Serdán, a lawyer and lecturer at the University of Buenos Aires, compiled a larger register of projects. Tengo Data draws on public material, including news reports, official bulletins, company press releases and environmental impact assessments. The register lists nine operational or publicly announced facilities associated with artificial intelligence: six hyperscale projects, two involving high-performance computing infrastructure and one operational facility described as “AI-ready.”
Who Pays for Power
Last month, the national Energy Secretariat established the Régimen de Demandas Extratendenciales, or XDEM, within the wholesale electricity market. Under the regime, major projects must supply and pay for their own energy. Officials say the policy aims to prevent pressure on existing infrastructure and protect uninterrupted electricity supplies for households, PyMEs and businesses.
A separate register, compiled by the Cámara Argentina de Internet and chaired by Ariel Graizer, covers facilities that serve third parties. It lists 14 facilities with capacity above 1 MW and combined installed capacity of nearly 32 MW.
Data centres process, store and distribute information through servers, storage systems and networking equipment. Demand for processing, storage and energy has grown with digital services and artificial intelligence. Graizer said some facilities need to sit near users because distance affects latency, while sites that train AI models can be farther from major cities.
Buenos Aires City has 18 entries in Tengo Data’s register, while Buenos Aires Province has 10. Together, they account for 28 facilities, or 42 percent of the total. Neuquén Province has 12. Seven of the 13 listed projects are in Neuquén, two in Chubut and two in Buenos Aires Province; one identifies Neuquén, Río Negro and Chubut as possible locations, while another is linked to the Malvinas Islands, which the UK calls the Falkland Islands.
Resistance and Public Debate
Milei’s supporters argue that Argentina has little influence over the technology competition between the United States and China. They say the country should make it possible to build data centres locally and secure a share of the benefits. Critics cite heavy resource use and relatively few jobs. Others back investment but want a clear regulatory framework that protects the environment and weighs political and social implications.
National deputy Juan Marino (Unión por la Patria-Buenos Aires Province) called for regional assemblies in provinces and municipalities where hyperscale centres are intended to be built. “We cannot allow our land, water and energy to be used to power the artificial intelligence that American monopolies use for Trump's wars,” he said.
On July 18, 142 protests against data-centre expansion took place across 42 U.S. states. By September 2026, Data Center Watch had counted 843 local opposition groups across 49 states. In the first half of 2026, more than 120 U.S. projects, with an estimated combined value of nearly US$200 billion, were blocked or delayed. Milei told the United Nations that his government’s strategy is to open Argentina’s doors to major digital infrastructure projects.