• The proposed Colleferro campus has a reported 150MW grid allocation from Terna and is targeting construction from 2027
  • The municipal vote advances the project, but Italian government approval is still required before construction can begin

The fact

Colleferro's city council has approved Cobra Green Hyperscale's proposed AI data-centre project in Lazio, south-east of Rome. Cobra Green is owned by investment firm Tendercapital and plans to begin construction in 2027, subject to further approval.

Mayor Giulio Calamita said grid operator Terna has allocated 150MW of electrical capacity to the project. Plans also include about 34MW of on-site solar generation, while the completed facility is expected to employ about 220 people.

The project has already passed other planning steps. In March, the Lazio regional government excluded the required planning variant from a full strategic environmental assessment, while making clear that the decision did not replace other permits or approvals. Final Italian government clearance remains outstanding before construction can begin.

The assessment

Colleferro’s approval moves Cobra Green closer to construction, but it does not settle the project’s timetable. The company has local backing and a reported 150MW power allocation, yet national clearance is still needed before building can begin.

The practical issue is whether those separate parts of the project come together in time for the proposed 2027 start. Cobra Green can continue design and commercial work while the national review is under way, but the available reporting does not yet show when that approval will arrive or when the allocated power will be available to the site. For BTW readers, the project has advanced, but it is still pre-construction. National approval and a firm power-delivery timetable will determine whether the 2027 build moves from plan to execution.

What to watch

Watch for final Italian government approval and confirmation that construction will begin in 2027. Terna's timetable for delivering the reported 150MW allocation will also matter as the project advances. Construction awards and a more detailed commissioning schedule would provide further evidence that the campus is moving from approval into delivery.