Tashkent's Saudi Arabia-backed TAS-1 data center, constructed by DataVolt, will see its first phase completed by year-end. This project signals the aggressive push of global capital into Central Asia, initiating a regional competition for critical digital infrastructure. Kazakhstan isn't far behind.
Nvidia is backing a separate project in Kazakhstan, expected to offer 125 megawatts of capacity by 2027. These two massive undertakings, one in Uzbekistan and the other in Kazakhstan, are not merely about technological advancement. They represent the opening salvo in a fierce regional contest for data center control, driven by transnational corporate interests.
The story, written by Yevgeniya Mikhailidi, was published just yesterday. It details how this 'race' has begun, a scramble for market share and for the digital infrastructure that underpins modern capital accumulation.
Capital's New Frontier
DataVolt, the company building the Uzbek facility, is a direct beneficiary of Saudi Arabian investment. This partnership illustrates how global finance seeks out new territories for expansion, leveraging state-backed funds to secure strategic assets. The promise of 'capacity' often masks the underlying drive for profit.
Nvidia's involvement in Kazakhstan further solidifies this pattern. A major player in the tech sector, Nvidia's backing ensures that the profits generated from this new infrastructure will flow directly into the coffers of international corporations. Local populations, meanwhile, are left to contend with the environmental and social costs of such large-scale industrial development.
The State's Complicity
The governments of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan are actively facilitating this corporate land grab. By allowing these foreign-backed projects to proceed, they are effectively clearing the path for the privatization of digital commons and the extraction of resources. The state, in this instance, acts as a primary enabler for capital, ensuring a favorable environment for its expansion.
There's no mention of the labor conditions under which these centers are being built. Nor is there any detail on the long-term impact on local energy grids or the potential for local economic benefit beyond the immediate construction phase. The narrative focuses solely on the competition between corporate entities, obscuring the human and ecological dimensions.
This intensifying competition for data center capacity across Central Asia is a clear example of how global capital constantly seeks new avenues for growth. It's a process of extending the reach of corporate power, securing the digital infrastructure necessary for future surplus extraction. The 'race' isn't for the benefit of the region's people; it's for the benefit of distant shareholders.