Russia Plans to Build Ice-Cooled Data Centers
Russia is preparing to build Arctic data centers capable of powering AI systems that monitor shipping, ice conditions, and logistics across the emerging Trans-Arctic Transport Corridor
Russia is evaluating the construction of data centers in the Arctic as part of the future digital backbone of the Trans-Arctic Transport Corridor. These facilities would support artificial intelligence tools responsible for monitoring ice conditions, navigating complex routes, and ensuring the safety of maritime operations.
Northern Forum: From Concept to Early-Stage Projects
The topic of Arctic data centers was a central theme at the Sixth Northern Forum on Sustainable Development in Yakutsk. According to Alexander Vorotnikov, coordinator of the expert council at the Arctic Development Project Office, the idea has already moved beyond theory—initial project proposals are currently under active development.
Russia is expanding its foundational energy infrastructure to support such high-load computing sites. The country is preparing to begin serial production of small nuclear power plants, which could power remote Arctic data centers. Larger nuclear stations are also being considered as energy hubs for future high-capacity facilities.
The Power of Natural Cold
The technical model relies heavily on the Arctic climate. Extreme cold allows the use of natural free-cooling, reducing server energy consumption by tens of percent. This cuts operational costs, increases system reliability, and enables the deployment of high-performance computing clusters without complex engineering equipment.
In parallel, Russia is exploring data center designs with capacities of 10–20 MW. These would be capable of supporting AI algorithms that process satellite imagery, vessel routing data, weather conditions, and ice dynamics in real time.
A Digital Core for the Trans-Arctic Ecosystem
Vorotnikov emphasized that such data centers could become a critical part of the digital ecosystem of the Trans-Arctic Corridor:
He added that the combination of nuclear power, natural Arctic cooling, and established northern logistics allows Russia to build highly efficient data centers in regions once considered technically unrealistic.
