The technology company Iren plans to start between the end of this year and the first months of 2027 the construction of a data center with a power of 300 megawatts (MW) in Badajoz, after having received the license called "zero level," which allows leveling the land and executing the foundations prior to the raising of the buildings.
Sources familiar with the project explain to Europa Press that the company already has the permit to undertake the conditioning works on the property it owns, although it is still pending the specific authorization to build the complex, which will become the first large installation of the company in European territory.
In parallel, Iren has appointed Ángel Corcóstegui as president of the newly created board of directors of Iren Europa, the holding company that will centralize its operations on the continent. At the same time, it has named Roberto Purcaro as executive director for Europe and a member of this new governing body.
The firm made its leap into the European market in June 2026 through the acquisition of Nostrum Group, a data center developer based in Spain. With this operation, it also incorporated into its staff a team of more than 60 professionals led by Gabriel Nebreda, who serves as CEO of Iren Spain.
Corcóstegui has extensive experience in the financial and business field. He was the first vice president and CEO of Banco Santander, an entity in which he led the integration process with Banco Central Hispano, one of the most relevant corporate milestones in the Spanish banking sector.
In addition, he is a co-founder of the private equity manager Magnum Capital and has significant experience in infrastructure and energy: he has chaired the Eptisa group, managed the Portuguese wind operator Iberwind between 2008 and 2015, and currently holds the position of independent director at Moeve.
On the other hand, Roberto Purcaro has more than 25 years of international experience in the fields of infrastructure, energy transition, and digital infrastructure, with participation in large-scale projects with diverse geographical reach.
In his most recent role, he has held the position of global head of Complex Opportunities and head of Italy at Macquarie Capital, from where he has led the structuring of large-scale operations alongside major multinationals, sovereign institutions, and significant international investors.
"Spain has exceptional conditions to become a European hub for digital infrastructure for AI, thanks to its excellent connectivity and abundant and competitive renewable energy," said Corcóstegui. "It is an honor to preside over Iren Europe and I hope to contribute to the execution of our growth plans," he added.
For his part, Purcaro has indicated that Badajoz is the beginning of Iren Europe. "Iren develops its own sites and operates them directly, and that is how we will work in Europe. From now on, our focus is on the campus and on the clients who will use it," he concluded.