Digital Realty Trust, Inc., a wholesale data center provider, has completed new energy contracts in Massachusetts that will lower operating costs for customers in two of its Boston-area properties. The new energy contracts with GDF SUEZ Energy Resources will deliver electrical power to Digital Realty Trust's data center properties at 128 First Avenue in Needham and 55 Middlesex Turnpike in Bedford at a significantly lower cost than through the previous provider. The new contracts secured through Digital Realty Trust's power buying program are expected to save customers an estimated $3.6 million a year across both properties.
"Because of the volume of our power purchases and our global reach, Digital Realty Trust is able to negotiate competitive power rates and pass those savings on to our customers," said David Caron, senior vice president of portfolio management at Digital Realty Trust. "GDF SUEZ has been an energy supplier for multiple Digital Realty Trust properties since 2008. We have a great working relationship with them that directly benefits our customers. The GDF SUEZ team understands data centers and the unique requirements and load profiles of these facilities. GDF SUEZ also works directly with our customers to help them make informed energy decisions through educational electricity seminars. Their data center expertise and the cost savings delivered to our customers by these new energy contracts underscore how valuable this collaboration has become."
"We appreciate the opportunity to serve Digital Realty Trust and its data center customers," said Bob Wilson, President and CEO of GDF SUEZ Energy Resources. "These agreements will not only deliver the competitive price and risk-management options they were looking for in an electricity supplier, but also the confidence of knowing they're working with one of the energy industry's strongest, most financially stable companies. Our goal is to become a long-term energy partner with our customers, and our work with Digital Realty Trust and its data center customers are great examples of that philosophy in action."
In Digital Realty Trust's annual survey of the U.S. data center industry released in March, participating companies cited power as the most influential factor in decisions regarding new data centers and data center expansions. Caron added, "The cost of power is clearly a concern for enterprises. Facilities that have lower electricity rates can save customers tens of thousands of dollars and even hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. That is why our contracts with energy providers such as GDF SUEZ Energy Resources are so valuable to firms with data centers in our facilities. We will continue to work with electricity providers in markets where we have properties to secure the lowest energy costs for our customers."