Chile launches RFI for 1 GW AI campus in Antofagasta, targets 50 MW initial phase within three years

Desarrollo País published the RFI in partnership with Chile’s ministries of Science and Energy and investment promotion agency InvestChile. The campus is designed to support processing and training of artificial intelligence models, with preliminary requirements specifying access to a primary clean energy source and a solution capable of maintaining continuous operation of computing infrastructure. The first phase evaluates 50 MW capacity for a two-to-three-year horizon, with subsequent expansion potentially reaching 1 GW over the long term. Stephanie Castro, digital infrastructure manager at Desarrollo País, stated the campus represents an opportunity to expand the country’s digital infrastructure from regional locations, requiring clean, competitive and high-availability energy solutions.

The Ministry of Science initiated preliminary design work for the AI campus during 2025, including a technical consultancy from the Inter-American Development Bank. Site selection criteria included energy availability, fiscal land, environmental risks and proximity to critical infrastructure. The project forms part of Chile’s National Data Center Plan, and in September 2025 the Ministry of Science and Desarrollo País signed a collaboration agreement to advance a data center campus in Antofagasta linked to the AI facility. The ministry highlighted the region’s renewable energy potential as a core element of the project.

The RFI seeks to identify both energy projects currently under construction or development in Antofagasta and new proposals capable of meeting the campus’s technical and commercial requirements. The process will also identify potential energy restrictions and risks, and gauge interest from companies that do not yet have specific projects in the region. This initial consultation focuses on the energy industry; Desarrollo País plans to incorporate data center developers and investors in subsequent phases. Interested companies may request meetings and submit queries until October 23, 2026, with the information submission deadline set for November 6.

Chile’s push into AI infrastructure coincides with global investment projections approaching $6.7 trillion for data center development by 2030, driven primarily by artificial intelligence processing requirements. Global data center electricity consumption is forecast to reach approximately 950 TWh by 2030, up from an estimated 485 TWh in 2025. The infrastructure buildout increases demand for copper and other critical minerals used in electrical systems, transmission networks and cooling solutions. Chile ranks among Latin America’s renewable energy leaders, with wind and solar accounting for over 40 percent of electricity generation in late 2024 and the country on track to reach 80 percent renewable electricity by 2030. The Antofagasta region offers proximity to large-scale solar resources and existing transmission infrastructure serving the mining sector, though the RFI process will determine whether current capacity can support data center loads or whether new generation and storage must be developed specifically for the campus.