TikTok announced that it will build its first data centre in Latin America at the Pecém Industrial and Port Complex in Ceará. The company said that the project will pass R$200 billion in total investment. TikTok also said that R$108 billion of that amount is set aside for high tech equipment through to 2035 and more upgrades will come after that period. The first phase is planned to start running in 2027.
The plan will run with Omnia, the data centre operator from the Pátria Investimentos group, and Casa dos Ventos which is known in Brazil for its renewable energy work. TikTok said that this points to the growing importance of the Northeast as a place for new digital projects. Monica Guise, who leads public policy at TikTok in Brazil, said that the project brings innovation, job creation and sustainability together and that the company wants clear communication with local communities as it builds.
Initial studies shared by the company point to more than 4,000 jobs in construction and operations. Sectors linked to energy, logistics and specialised services are expected to benefit as the centre grows. Elmano de Freitas, the governor of Ceará, said that the investment strengthens the state as a technological and industrial hub and helps create skilled work for the region.
How Will The Centre Work?
TikTok said that the entire site will run on 100% renewable energy. The company will draw this power from new wind farms made for the project. This avoids drawing energy from the existing grid and adds clean capacity to the system in Ceará. Casa dos Ventos will support this energy model as part of the partnership.
Water use will stay low due to a global closed loop cooling system. Air cooled water recirculation and energy efficient equipment will manage temperature across the building. TikTok said that this system keeps water use under control and lowers the environmental impact of keeping servers cool.
The site will also use PG25 technology which keeps servers safe at higher temperatures. This cuts the energy needed for cooling and improves the way the servers operate over long periods. TikTok said that this helps the centre run more efficiently during daily demand.
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What Makes Ceará Important To TikTok?
Bloomberg reported that TikTok sees Brazil as well placed for data centre investment because the country has strong renewable energy sources, a linked national grid and the most high speed fibre optic cables in Latin America. Pecém is near Fortaleza which is a landing point for major submarine cables. These cables connect Brazil to Europe and Africa through one of the shortest routes from the region.
Monica Guise described the investment as historic for the company in Brazil and said it reflects the importance of the local digital market. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva attended the event where the project was announced and said that he believes the centre will support technological development in the country. Lula also said that it could guide future data centre projects in other regions.
Lula signed a provisional measure in September that gives incentives to companies that build data centres in Brazil. This measure allows tax free imports of certain equipment which lowers costs for new digital projects. The Pecém construction sits within that ambition.
What Global Pressures Are In The Background?
TikTok’s expansion in Brazil comes at a tense moment for its service in the United States. Bloomberg reported that the company has not managed to present a plan that would prevent a ban. The Chinese government said that it will work with Washington on the situation but did not support the deal suggested to split TikTok’s US business into a venture mostly owned by American investors.
A US security law signed last year ordered ByteDance to sell TikTok US or face a ban. The original deadline was January 2025. Donald Trump has extended the deadline several times while talks continue.
“This partnership brings together technical expertise, scale, and infrastructure to deliver a data center focused on innovation and sustainability. We are proud to contribute to a project that places the Northeast at the center of global transformations in technology and clean energy,” says Rodrigo Abreu, CEO of Omnia.
“Providing 100% renewable energy for a project of this magnitude reinforces our commitment to the country’s energy transition. The new power plants dedicated to the project add clean capacity to the national energy matrix, ensuring energy security without putting pressure on the existing system. It is a milestone for Ceará and for the future of sustainable infrastructure in Brazil,” said Lucas Araripe, CEO of Casa dos Ventos.
