Northern France is preparing to host one of the country's largest artificial intelligence projects. On a vast industrial brownfield site in Escaudain, formerly occupied by Usinor, a high-capacity data center is slated to open by 2030, backed by a five billion euro investment. Local authorities have officially approved the project, presented as one of the most ambitious ever envisioned in the region, both in terms of its technological scope and its economic impact. Projections indicate that, ultimately, nearly 2,400 permanent jobs will be created, with more than 2,000 employees working on-site daily once the facilities are fully operational. The identity of the project's developer has not yet been revealed, but elected officials are suggesting a major player in the digital technology sector. This choice is expected to be announced in mid-December, a crucial step that will clarify the governance and final timeline of the project.
A strategic territory for artificial intelligence infrastructure
This project is part of a national movement to attract the infrastructure needed for the growth of artificial intelligence. France is relying in particular on its nuclear power plants to provide low-carbon electricity, a crucial factor for data centers whose energy consumption requires a stable and massive supply. Within this framework, several high-potential sites have been identified by the grid operator RTE in the Hauts-de-France, Normandy, and, to a lesser extent, Île-de-France regions. These areas combine available land, grid connection capacity, and proximity to industrial hubs undergoing restructuring. The Nord region, marked by profound industrial transformations, is thus seeing the emergence of a new generation of projects. Following the announcement in February of a massive data center on the former airbase near Cambrai, this second project further strengthens the concentration of AI-dedicated sites in a strategic corridor undergoing rapid transformation.
A strong signal for the economic attractiveness of Hauts-de-France
The Canadian fund Brookfield has already announced its intention to invest heavily in this infrastructure, with a commitment of twenty billion euros by 2030, a large portion of which is earmarked for the Cambrai mega-center. This financial momentum gives an idea of the scale of the transformations to come in the region. Local authorities hope that these new facilities will contribute to the sustainable reindustrialization of a region still marked by factory closures and successive waves of unemployment. The planned facility in Escaudain illustrates the capacity of former steelmaking sites to host next-generation activities, combining innovation and redevelopment. For elected officials, this project should structure an economic hub around skilled jobs related to operations, maintenance, and cybersecurity, while generating a ripple effect on local businesses. Even though construction will not begin for several years, the announcement marks a key step in France's digital strategy. It confirms the desire to make Hauts-de-France a major hub for artificial intelligence, at a time when the giants of the sector are engaged in a global race to secure the computing capacity essential for the next technological advances.
