US data center developer Vantage Data Centers has signed a strategic partnership with US natural gas and oil services company Liberty Energy to deliver utility-scale power solutions for its North American data center portfolio.

Under the terms of the agreement, Liberty Power Innovations (LPI), a Liberty Energy subsidiary, will develop, own, and operate power infrastructure to support Vantage campuses. The partners have said that they plan to deliver up to 1GW of power capacity over the next five years, including a reserved 400MW of generation capacity scheduled for 2027, with potential to expand beyond 1GW.

“As demand for digital infrastructure accelerates, access to dependable, high-efficiency, scalable power is critical for hyperscale growth,” said Dana Adams, president, North America at Vantage Data Centers. “Partnering with strategic organizations such as LPI strengthens our ability to deliver capacity for our customers where and when they need it, while controlling costs and growing responsibly in power-constrained markets. LPI’s ability to provide significant, near-term generation, and their long-term commitment to reliable operations, make them an ideal partner as we deliver the next wave of innovative digital infrastructure.”

The collaboration will aim to accelerate data center development in markets where grid capacity is limited, through integrating on-site generation and load management. The partners claim that this approach will support hyperscale cloud and AI workloads while reducing pressure on local electricity networks.

LPI will provide co-located generation connected through dedicated distribution systems within Vantage campuses, with the option to interconnect with the grid in the future. According to LPI, the power systems are designed to operate independently or in coordination with the grid to improve resilience and efficiency. The configuration of the onsite power generation systems has not been disclosed; however, it seems likely that it will be in the form of natural gas.

Liberty's CEO Ron Gusek added: “We are excited to join Vantage in this landmark collaboration to develop and deliver 1GW or more of power for their data center campuses. With more than a decade of expertise in advanced distributed power systems, we design, build, and operate tailored power solutions that address increasingly complex power demands, combining integrated engineering with real-time digital operations. Our North American platform provides the scale, reliability, and operational expertise to support Vantage in this major energy infrastructure undertaking."

Vantage said the partnership strengthens its ability to deliver capacity quickly and reliably as demand for AI-driven infrastructure continues to increase across North America. Vantage currently has 17 data centers in operation and development across North America, with four in Canada and the rest in the US. In addition to its North America portfolio, the company also has data centers across four other continents. In November, the company finalized a $1.6bn investment into its APAC platform and closed its acquisition of a data center in Johor, Malaysia.

Liberty Energy was founded by current US Energy Secretary Chris Wright in 2011. It has signed several deals in recent years to power the data center sector. Notably, last January, the company signed an MoU with DC Grid to deliver off-grid gas generation to the data center sector.