CyrusOne and Eolian have partnered to expedite the development of a large-scale data center campus in Fort Worth, Texas, reflecting a trend towards integrating digital infrastructure with existing power grid assets.
The DFW7 project, under construction, aims to provide up to 200 megawatts of data center capacity to meet the growing needs of hyperscale cloud providers and large enterprises.
This collaboration combines CyrusOne, a global data center owner and operator, with Eolian, experienced in battery energy storage systems across the U.S. By utilizing existing high-voltage transmission infrastructure and substation capacity near the DFW7 site, the partners have reduced the time needed to bring new capacity online in a rapidly expanding digital infrastructure market.
The project centers on co-locating the data center campus with a grid-scale battery energy storage system. Eolian’s Chisholm Grid facility, a 100-megawatt system located seven miles northwest of downtown Fort Worth, began operations in the ERCOT market in 2021. In 2023, Eolian identified the site’s infrastructure as a potential catalyst for quick data center expansion, noting that replicating similar grid assets elsewhere would be challenging and time-consuming.
Following this, CyrusOne and Eolian developed a joint strategy, allowing CyrusOne to start construction on the DFW7 campus in April 2025. The project optimizes existing electrical infrastructure, shortening development timelines while meeting hyperscale customer demands.
Eric Schwartz, CEO of CyrusOne, stated that the collaboration allows the company to quickly respond to customer needs by delivering large-scale capacity starting in 2026. Partnering with an established energy infrastructure developer like Eolian enables CyrusOne to access locations that would otherwise face significant development barriers.
Eolian plans to upgrade one of Texas’s earliest utility-scale battery energy storage systems, with the existing infrastructure aiding the initial phases of the data center campus. Eolian CEO Aaron Zubaty described the project as a practical example of efficiently using existing grid assets to support new growth without new transmission builds or additional land use.
The Fort Worth campus is designed for long-term growth in AI-driven compute and data-intensive workloads, which demand significant data center capacity and power. By aligning digital infrastructure development with established grid-scale energy resources, the DFW7 project offers a model for addressing power constraints influencing site selection and deployment strategies in North America.
For enterprise and hyperscale customers, this collaboration indicates a shift towards integrated planning between data center operators and energy developers. As grid congestion and permitting timelines become more challenging, projects that deliver “speed to power” using existing infrastructure may gain a competitive edge.
Executive Insights FAQ
Why is the DFW7 project significant for the data center market?
It shows how large-scale data centers can be deployed faster by leveraging existing power grid infrastructure.
How much capacity will the Fort Worth campus support?
The DFW7 campus is designed to provide up to 200 megawatts of data center capacity.
What role does battery energy storage play in the project?
The data center is co-located with an existing grid-scale battery energy storage system, aiding early power availability.
When is the new capacity expected to come online?
CyrusOne plans to deliver large-scale capacity to customers starting in 2026.
Why is this model relevant for AI-driven growth?
AI workloads require significant power and rapid deployment, making efficient use of existing grid assets increasingly important.
