LY2 Lobby
Chief Telecom’s new LY2 AI Data Center, a $3.5 billion investment located on Jiuzong Road in Neihu, has officially welcomed the world’s largest cloud service provider. This state-of-the-art facility, unveiled to the media for the first time, has comprehensive dual-redundancy mechanisms. A standout feature is its advanced seismic isolation system, utilizing isolation pads that allow the entire building to “float” above the ground, providing earthquake resistance up to a magnitude of 7.
Wealth Magazine, Taiwan’s most established financial media, recently got an exclusive look inside Chief’s LY2 AI Data Center. While its seven-story exterior resembles a typical office building, a closer look reveals its advanced capabilities.
The LY2 data center has a robust power infrastructure with a total capacity of 20MW, evenly distributed between its north and south sides. Each floor features dual-loop power supply and air conditioning systems, significantly enhancing redundancy and simplifying maintenance.
As AI data centers become massive power consumers, their operational electricity capacity is now the key metric for determining their scale. Chief’s LY2 AI Data Center has a substantial 20MW power capacity. To put this in perspective, 20MW is equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of 40,000 Taiwanese households.
Maintaining such a large and stable power supply is critical. Beyond relying on Taipower’s grid, Chief has invested heavily in robust redundancy mechanisms to ensure uninterrupted operation.
On the 7th-floor rooftop, 11 generators are installed, each equipped with soundproof enclosures and fire suppression systems. These reduce noise levels from 110 dB to a quiet 80 dB. In the event of a power outage, two adjacent diesel tanks can supply the generators, providing 24 hours of backup power. A Socomec Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) system seamlessly bridges the power transition, ensuring continuous operation for the data center.
LY2 AI Data Center
For its cooling system, Chief Telecom utilizes Chung-Hsin Electric & Machinery’s magnetic bearing centrifugal chillers. These employ a dual-loop design to enhance cooling efficiency, achieving a Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) of 1.4. In the co-location area on the first floor, numerous client devices are already installed. The temperature here is maintained at approximately 20 degrees Celsius, with hot aisles between the server racks and cold air circulating upwards from the floor for cooling.
Regarding load capacity, the floor can support 2,000 kilograms per square meter, and the freight lift can handle up to 3.5 tons. This robust capacity is essential, as a single GB200 NVL72 rack alone weighs over 1 ton. The facility also incorporates earthquake resistance features.
Fan-Wall
“If a client installs 50 GB200 NVL72 racks, that’s NT$5 billion worth of equipment — more expensive than the building itself!” exclaimed Tim Chiang, Vice President of Planning Division, Chief Telecom. “Therefore, safeguarding client assets is of paramount importance.”
“When we designed this building, our focus wasn’t on vibration reduction or damping; it was seismic isolation,” emphasized Tim Chiang. The entire structure is separated from the ground by isolation pads and features damper-like mechanisms. This design allows for up to 70 centimeters of movement in any direction, provides a seismic resistance coefficient for earthquakes of magnitude 7 or higher.
Currently, the LY2 AI Data Center has an occupancy rate exceeding 80%, hosting a diverse range of clients. This includes international cloud service providers (CSPs) such as Facebook, Microsoft, and Google, as well as companies offering computing power services, financial services, and cloud solutions. According to Stallone Shih, Pre Sale Manager of Product Development Department, Chief Telecom, international Tier-1 clients have stringent requirements. Their RFPs often contain hundreds, even thousands, of questions, with ‘security guard allocation’ being among the most frequent.”
The LY AI Data Center was initially planned during the pandemic, with its budget continuously expanded. It was officially launched last June, perfectly coinciding with the advent of the generative AI era. With the business operation of LY2, Chief Telecom anticipates doubled revenue from data center services this year, a key driver for overall profit growth. LY2 offers more than just hardware infrastructure; it provides critical additional services such as network connectivity and cybersecurity.
Liquid-Cooling-System
Tim Chiang stated that Chief Telecom has been operating data centers for 25 years, making it Taiwan’s largest carrier-neutral IDC service provider. The company has systematically expand its ecosystem, including submarine cables and exchange centers. Looking ahead, Chief Telecom aims to become a premier digital convergence and cloud AI application hub in East Asia. “We don’t want Chief Telecom to be merely a landlord, just renting out racks and space. We aspire to provide clients with cross-border service nodes, maximizing their operational efficiency and value,” Tim Chiang emphasized.
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