A new data center has been built at IN2P3, France’s nuclear and particle physics research body.

The VIL3 data center, at IN2P3’s computing center outside the city of Lyon, has been delivered by construction firm Cap Ingelec, which handed over the facility this month following a 10-month build.

It offers an initial capacity of 500kW, scalable to 2MW, and could eventually house 130 air-cooled racks.

Writing on LinkedIn, Cap Ingelec said: “This data center meets the exponential growth in computing and data storage needs generated by major international scientific projects.

“Carried out from March 2024 to February 2026, this project fully illustrates our expertise in the design and construction of critical data centers, in the service of science, innovation. and digital sovereignty.”

Part of the French National Centre for Scientific Research, IN2P3 focuses on nuclear and particle physics experiments. Its computing center provides IT infrastructure for researchers across the nation and supports 4,000 users across 70 different research groups.

According to IN2P3, its existing data centers, VIL1 and VIL2, each provide 900 sqm (9,687 sq ft) of computer room space, hosting several thousand servers each. The facilities are capable of storing 340 petabytes of information.