Canelones
Department of Uruguay near Montevideo, site of Antel's planned AI data centre.
Canelones will host Uruguay's first state-owned AI data centre, a $70m Antel project the government announced on 11-12 August 2026.
Last refreshed: 14 August 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Why is Uruguay putting its first AI data centre in Canelones?
Timeline for Canelones
Uruguay's Antel builds a $70m AI centre
Data Centres: Boom and BacklashBackground
Canelones is a department bordering Montevideo in southern Uruguay. Uruguay's state telecom operator Antel will build a $70m AI-specialised data centre there, near the intersection of routes 5 and 48, the government announced on 11-12 August 2026 after a Council of Ministers meeting . Antel picked the site for its proximity to Montevideo and its existing route infrastructure, rather than for any specialised power or cooling advantage.
Construction is set to start in the first quarter of 2027, with operation targeted between 2028 and 2029 and around 250 direct jobs expected. It is the first state-owned AI data-centre project reported in Latin America this year, a different model from the private hyperscaler deals dominating this topic elsewhere.