GTD’s $13M Peru Expansion Signals Andean Digital Infrastructure Race

According to DCD, Chilean telecommunications company GTD will invest $13 million in 2026 for the second phase expansion of its data center in Lurin District outside Lima, Peru. The total project represents a $50 million investment with planned capacity of 20MW and space for 960 racks, making it one of Peru’s most advanced data centers. GTD previously invested $15 million in the first phase, which launched in 2024 and already operates at nearly 20% occupancy. Company executives indicated the second phase could accelerate if a major client is secured, with operations expected by 2027, complementing GTD’s existing 220 sqm facility in Santiago de Surco and extensive 7,000km fiber network across Peru.

Strategic Positioning in the Andean Digital Economy

This expansion represents more than just infrastructure growth—it’s a calculated bet on Peru‘s emergence as a digital gateway for the Andean region. While many international investors focus on Brazil, Mexico, and Chile for Latin American data center development, GTD recognizes the underserved potential in Peru’s growing digital economy. The country’s geographic position between Pacific connectivity cables and landlocked neighbors like Bolivia creates natural advantages for becoming a regional hub. The timing is particularly strategic as Peruvian businesses accelerate their digital transformation following pandemic-era disruptions, creating immediate demand for local cloud and hosting services that don’t require routing through Santiago or Miami.

Regional Infrastructure Race Intensifies

GTD’s move comes amid increasing competition across Latin America’s digital infrastructure landscape. The recent USD 13 million investment follows Romero Group’s acquisition of 49% of GTData Holdco through InfraCorp, signaling growing institutional interest in regional data center assets. This pattern mirrors broader trends where traditional industrial groups are diversifying into digital infrastructure, recognizing the stable returns and strategic importance of these assets. However, GTD faces intensifying competition from both global hyperscalers building their own facilities and specialized operators like Ascenty and ODATA expanding across the region. The race to capture market share before major cloud providers establish dominant positions creates both opportunity and pricing pressure.

Execution Challenges in Emerging Markets

The ambitious timeline—planning for 2026 investment with 2027 operations—faces several potential headwinds common in emerging market infrastructure projects. Lima‘s power infrastructure must reliably support the additional 20MW load, requiring coordination with local utilities that have faced reliability challenges. The conditional acceleration clause, where phase two could move forward earlier with a major client commitment, creates scheduling uncertainty that could impact supply chain planning and construction timelines. Additionally, Peru’s regulatory environment for data sovereignty and cross-border data flows remains in development, creating potential compliance complexities for multinational clients the facility aims to attract.

Broader Market Implications

This expansion signals a maturation of Peru’s digital infrastructure market beyond basic colocation toward tier-III+ facilities capable of supporting enterprise and hyperscale workloads. The 20MW target capacity positions GTD to compete for larger enterprise clients and potentially attract cloud availability zones from major providers. However, the success of this $50 million bet will depend on Peru’s ability to maintain economic stability and continue attracting foreign investment in technology sectors. As other regional players watch GTD’s progress, similar investments in secondary Latin American markets may follow if the model proves successful, potentially accelerating digital transformation across the Andean region while creating new competitive dynamics in what has traditionally been an underserved market.