French carrier neutral data center provider DCforData has unveiled plans for a new data center in Lyon.

Set to open in the second half of 2018, ‘Project Rock’ will cost €20 million ($20.8m), include 3,658 sq m (39,374 sq ft) of data center space, and have a Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) of less than 1.5.

Beyond Paris

The facility will be built to Tier III standards, the company said, and it will be ISO 27001 certified.

DCforData said that they chose Lyon because they felt that the area was under served, and that “large companies do not find a solution adapted to their needs… in the region.”

The company already operates a facility nearby, in Limonest, 10km northwest of Lyon, but said that Rock will have around three times the surface area. Once fully built, Rock is expected to have 640 racks spread over three levels.

As the year comes to a close, it has been fascinating to watch how various cities have seen data centers flock to them, while others have been left bereft.

Last year’s capital of European colocation data centers, London/Slough, has come under heavy competition this year, with Frankfurt potentially set to steal the crown.