Amazon Web Services (AWS) pledged to spend €15.7 billion on expanding its data centre footprint in Spain alongside related activities in the period to the end of 2033, the latest massive investment by a US cloud player to expand its European infrastructure.

The investment will see it expand cloud infrastructure in Aragon, with the region accounting for 40 per cent of the jobs being created by the cash injection and more than half of the expected €21.6 billion boost to Spain’s GDP.    

AWS claimed its investment would support 17,500 jobs in local businesses.

Its plan represents a huge increase in a €2.5 billion spend for facilities in the area announced in 2021.

The US company noted the move represented a “key part of the regional government’s strategy to become a leading technology hub nationally and within Europe”.

AWS country manager for Spain and Portugal Suzana Curic said alongside the direct investment in expanding its footprint, it would continue its work in the country on “talent development, community education programmes and sustainability initiatives”.

She added this included a continuation of a pledge to “match the electricity used in our data centres in Aragon with 100 per cent renewable sources”.

The news comes a week after the company pledged to splash €7.8 billion on a Germany-headquartered European sovereign cloud project over the next 16 years.