Vantage Data Centers, a large player in the hyperscale data center sector, has secured a $3 billion green loan, marking a significant milestone in the company’s expansion strategy in North America. The loan, led by Wells Fargo Securities, LLC along with joint bookrunners TD Securities, Truist Securities, and Scotiabank, forms part of a broader effort to bolster Vantage’s data center infrastructure across the region.
This financial maneuver introduces a revolving credit facility involving an initial collateral pool of eight sites, which includes both leased and greenfield sites in various new and existing markets, collectively accounting for nearly 1.4GW of IT capacity. The structure of the financing allows for a swifter market entry compared to traditional project-specific construction loans, providing Vantage Data Centers and its customers with enhanced operational agility. It also includes provisions for incorporating additional North American assets into the facility in the future.
Christophe Strauven, Senior Vice President of Capital Markets at Vantage, emphasized the strategic advantage of this flexible funding model. “For the past several years, Vantage has prioritized innovative funding avenues to support our rapid expansion, and this revolving multi-asset development financing is no exception,” he stated. Mr. Strauven highlighted that this approach facilitates immediate access to capital, enabling quicker initiation of development projects vital for meeting the growing demand for IT capacity across North America.
Sustainable Financing
The funding would reflect Vantage’s ongoing commitment to sustainable practices, being the fifth green loan procured under the company’s Green Finance Framework (opens PDF in new window). This framework guides Vantage’s dedication to the sustainable development, operation, and delivery of its data center facilities. Through these green loans, Vantage funds research and development efforts aimed at enhancing sustainable features in its data centers, focusing on energy efficiency, water management, and pollution prevention, all while aligning with the carbon reduction goals of both the company and its customers.
Sharif Metwalli, CFO at Vantage Data Centers, expressed gratitude towards their financing partners, acknowledging their significant role in supporting Vantage’s mission to develop cutting-edge digital infrastructure capable of supporting advanced technological transformations including cloud computing and AI. “We appreciate their backing, which underpins our ability to develop the digital infrastructure to support the next generation of technology,” Mr. Metwalli commented.
Vantage already disclosed around $10 billion in funding last year in order to support the business’s ongoing international expansion. Apart from the current statement, the business previously declared a $6.4 billion equity investment in January, spearheaded by DigitalBridge and Silver Lake, and a $64 million loan in March to facilitate the establishment of Vantage’s first campus in Taiwan.
