Data Centre Power: Why Capacity Is Becoming a Competitive Advantage

Data Centre Power: Why Capacity Is Becoming a Competitive Advantage

Planning your next infrastructure move? Don’t overlook power.

As demand for digital services, cloud computing and artificial intelligence continues to grow, access to reliable power is becoming an increasingly important consideration for businesses choosing where to host their IT infrastructure. For data centres, power is no longer simply a technical requirement, it is a key factor in planning capacity, supporting business growth and ensuring infrastructure can meet future demands.

Why is power capacity becoming such a big issue?

In July 2026, energy regulator Ofgem announced proposals to address speculative data centre projects occupying space in the UK’s electricity connections queue. The announcement followed a significant increase in applications for new electricity connections, with demand rising from 41GW to 125GW between November 2024 and June 2025. Data centre developments accounted for a substantial proportion of this demand. The proposals include financial commitment fees and milestones intended to help distinguish viable projects from speculative developments, with the aim of allowing projects that are ready to proceed to secure connections more efficiently.

Although these measures are primarily aimed at large-scale developments seeking new grid connections, they highlight a wider challenge for the industry: electricity infrastructure must keep pace with the growing demands of the digital economy. For businesses, this makes it increasingly important to consider power requirements when reviewing their hosting arrangements, planning hardware upgrades or preparing for expansion.

Planning for growth starts with the right infrastructure

When selecting a colocation provider, it is easy to focus on rack space, connectivity and monthly costs. However, understanding your power requirements is equally important. Modern servers, storage systems and networking equipment can have very different power demands depending on their configuration and workload. Businesses deploying new hardware or consolidating their infrastructure should consider not only their current consumption but also how their requirements might change over time.

Planning ahead can help businesses avoid unnecessary disruption, make better use of their hosting investment and ensure their chosen environment is suitable for future workloads. At Datanet, we offer a range of colocation options at ARK Data Centre in Farnborough, helping businesses find a solution that suits their current requirements while allowing them to plan for the future.

In addition to single phase racks offering up to 7kW as standard, Datanet also offer three phase racks with up to 21kW and beyond that have access to Data halls with power from 2MW, have a look at the power availability matrix in this article: https://www.datanet.co.uk/news/data-centre-power-availability-update-201026/

Introducing Datanet’s ULTRA Racks at ARK Farnborough

Datanet’s ULTRA Full Racks and ULTRA Third Racks provide dedicated rack space with power and connectivity options designed to support a variety of business requirements. Depending on the solution selected, customers can benefit from:

• Flexible power options to suit different infrastructure requirements.
• Resilient power feeds, with diverse A+B feeds on ULTRA rack packages.
• High-performance connectivity, including resilient internet links and optional higher-bandwidth connections.
• Room to grow, with options to move from a smaller rack allocation to a dedicated full rack as requirements evolve.

Our ULTRA Third Rack provides 15U of dedicated space, making it suitable for businesses that need more room than shared colocation but do not yet require a full cabinet. ULTRA Full Racks provide a dedicated 47U cabinet for larger deployments. Power commitments vary by package, so our team can help you identify the appropriate option based on your equipment, expected consumption and future plans.

Why choose Datanet?

Located at ARK Data Centre in Farnborough, Datanet provides colocation services for businesses looking for secure, reliable and cost-effective infrastructure. Our approach combines dedicated rack options, resilient connectivity and a facility with a focus on energy efficiency and sustainability. Whether you are moving equipment out of your own premises, expanding an existing deployment or reviewing your current hosting provider, choosing the right rack configuration and understanding your power requirements from the outset can make a real difference.

Is your current hosting arrangement ready for what’s next?

As digital workloads continue to evolve, planning for power capacity should be part of every infrastructure conversation. If you are considering a move to colocation, upgrading your hardware or preparing for future growth, Datanet can help you explore the options available at ARK Farnborough.

Get in touch with our team by calling us on 01252 810010 or email Datanet Sales, to discuss your requirements and find the right ULTRA Rack solution for your business.

Visit our colocation and rack services page to find out more or simply fill out the form on our contact page and we will be in touch.