The AI gigafactory in Móra la Nova, now pending approval from Brussels

MadridThe consortium behind the project for Móra la Nova (Ribera d'Ebre) and San Fernando de Henares (Madrid) to host one of Europe's artificial intelligence (AI) gigafactories boasts unanimity. This Wednesday, Pedro Sánchez's government convened in Moncloa the representatives of who, for now, forms part of the consortium that has sponsored the project's candidacy for its first official family photo. For the Spanish government, the company that has been established for this technological project to become a reality in the State is an example of the "importance" of public-private collaboration, and it takes on even more "relevance" when considering that the companies that make up the consortium, and which hold the majority, are "leaders in their sectors," Moncloa highlighted in a statement.

Now, both sides are waiting for Brussels: the European Commission must open the call for applications for the project to be submitted and to be eligible for European funds. The Community executive is expected to publish the final tender this July. Once launched, candidates will have between 60 and 90 days to submit the details of their proposals, which will subsequently be evaluated by the authorities, who will issue their judgment between the end of this year and the beginning of 2027. If Brussels approves the Spanish project, as confirmed by sources from the Catalan Government, the first phase of the gigafactory could be operational in 2028; although this date is still indicative.

The president of the Spanish government, Pedro Sánchez, has highlighted that it is an "emblematic" and "transformative" project. "United we are stronger," he stated on the social network X.

The private companies that are part of the consortium are Telefónica (with 15.67% of the shareholding), ACS (15.67%), Banco Santander (15.67%) and Multiverse Computing (4%). The Spanish government is also part of it, through the SETT, the so-called technological SEPI (47.99% of the shares) and the Generalitat (1% of the shares through Incasòl). It is expected that, once the project progresses, new private investors may join the consortium. The current ones, according to government sources, are "the founding partners".

The meeting was attended by the Minister for Digital Transformation, Óscar López; the President of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa; the President of ACS, Florentino Pérez; the CEO of Banco Santander, Héctor Grisi; the President of Telefónica, Marc Murtra, and the Executive Director of Multiverse Computing, Enrique Lizaso, as well as the first manager and executive director of the consortium, Francesc Fajula.

In total, the project plans to mobilize 5,000 million euros. "It will allow Spanish universities, SMEs, research centers and institutions to multiply their capacity to investigate, innovate and strengthen Spanish competitiveness in the race for AI," the Spanish government highlighted in a statement.

European fund for AI

With the consortium already constituted, the exam must be passed to receive European funds. The promoters will have to present the Spanish candidacy to the European call to receive this European investment. Brussels has created a fund of 20,000 million euros named InvestIA to develop AI gigafactories on the Old Continent and thus give wings to the strategic autonomy that it so longs for. The objective of the European Commission is to boost the industry of this technology in the community bloc and avoid falling too far behind in the AI race, which is led by powers such as the United States and China.