Third Harlow building with hybrid air/direct-to-chip cooling. JCA is linked to the phase; permit issue and the Q4 2026 target are recorded separately from unconfirmed operational handover.
Read overviewKao Data KLON-03
Harlow, United Kingdom
Watch this site
Watch Kao Data KLON-03
Register interest in updates to planning status, grid position, capacity claims, delivery teams and policy exposure. Every Power Reality Check client receives 60 days of Site Watch on their assessed site when monitoring is available.
13 cited sources · 8 utility and planning categories reviewed.
Review evidence and gapsVerify the demand agreement, campus import limit, KLON-03 allocation, network counterparty and energisation milestones independently of generator and IT ratings.
Open the full checkOverview
Third Harlow building with hybrid air/direct-to-chip cooling. JCA is linked to the phase; permit issue and the Q4 2026 target are recorded separately from unconfirmed operational handover.
- Developer / applicant
- Kao Data
- Owner
- Not verified
- Operator
- Kao Data
Planning and delivery status
Operator reported active construction on 18 August 2025; current Harlow page still labels KLON-03 under development. A 2026 ready-for-service target is not treated as confirmation of opening. HDR's March 2025 permit submission targeted Q4 2026 handover; the environmental variation issued 3 June 2026 does not confirm operational handover.
Stage source: 18 Aug 2025Project intelligence. This record does not establish that the land or facility is available to acquire.
POWER STUDY
Power
What the power evidence establishes
The site-specific connection scope has not been established for this record.
No same-scope, dated import-MVA rung has document-seen or better verification. Nearby infrastructure, IT MW and marketing claims cannot upgrade the class.
The class describes published documentary evidence at its stated date. It does not prove current contractual rights, transferability or an energisation date.
Class describes evidence maturity. Public records do not prove current contractual rights, transferable capacity or an energisation date. This record has not received a complete power study review.
Read the rules and verification levelsCapacity ladder and evidence
Each rung is a separate MVA claim for its stated site or phase. A missing rung is unknown.
Applied
Not established from the public records reviewed.
What applied mva is evidenced for the assessed site scope?Offered
Not established from the public records reviewed.
What offered mva is evidenced for the assessed site scope?Accepted / contracted
Not established from the public records reviewed.
What accepted or contracted mva is evidenced for the assessed site scope?Energised
Not established from the public records reviewed.
What energised mva is evidenced for the assessed site scope?Conflicts and scope comparisons
No conflicting pair is recorded. This does not establish that all public statements have been reconciled.
United Kingdom grid context
Network publications frame the claim. They do not allocate capacity to this site.
No country context entries have been linked to this site. Applicable policy, capacity information and reinforcement dependencies need review.
Country coverage: prepared sources; site-level research not extended. View all country sources and refresh schedules.
Derived energisation window
The observed inputs do not establish a bounded delivery range. Open bounds stay unknown.
Rule
Use only a same-scope, dated, document-verified capacity rung and an applicable duration to energisation published by the observed site operator. The named process operator and a named source publisher must match that operator. Earliest year is the maximum of stage date plus minimum duration and each evidenced readiness constraint. Latest year is the maximum of stage date plus maximum duration and each published upper constraint only when every required input is bounded. An offer-processing duration is excluded. A missing required input leaves the affected bound unknown; no padding or contractual delivery promise is inferred.
No observed inputs establish this result.
Dependencies driving the range
- Connection-dependent reinforcement scope and completion dates: unknown.
- Grid-works planning status and programme: unknown.
- Applicable connection-policy conditions and programme: unknown.
What the earliest case requires
- Connection-dependent reinforcement scope and completion dates introduces no later constraint than the earliest case; this remains unverified.
- Grid-works planning status and programme introduces no later constraint than the earliest case; this remains unverified.
- Applicable connection-policy conditions and programme introduces no later constraint than the earliest case; this remains unverified.
Missing inputs leave the range open
- A dated, document-verified import-MVA rung for the assessed scope.
- An applicable duration from the evidenced stage to energisation, published by and matched to the observed site operator, rather than an offer-processing target.
- Connection-dependent reinforcement scope and completion dates
- Grid-works planning status and programme
- Applicable connection-policy conditions and programme
Indicative HV and connection capex
Unknown
Rule and scope
Sum each published complete scope quantity multiplied by the matching published benchmark minimum and maximum. Configuration, voltage, route type, unit, country applicability, currency and explicit price base year must match. No assumed route length, transformer count, exchange rate, inflation, fee uplift or partial index is inserted. The result is an indicative benchmark band, not an operator quotation or contractual connection charge.
No observed inputs establish this result.
Scope questions
- Obtain a published complete connection scope with voltage, configuration and measured quantities.
- Establish that every necessary connection-work component is included in the published scope.
- Identify network and customer works, upstream reinforcement, land and wayleaves, taxes, fees, securities, contingency and the price base.
Alternatives and policy exposure
Behind-the-meter generation
Not established from the public records reviewed.
What behind-the-meter generation is evidenced, and at what scope?Planning / policy requirement
Not established from the public records reviewed.
Does the applicable planning or connection policy require behind-the-meter generation?Battery storage
Not established from the public records reviewed.
What battery storage is evidenced, and at what scope?Planning / policy requirement
Not established from the public records reviewed.
Does the applicable planning or connection policy require battery storage?Private wire
Not established from the public records reviewed.
What a private wire is evidenced, and at what scope?Planning / policy requirement
Not established from the public records reviewed.
Does the applicable planning or connection policy require a private wire?Gas
Not established from the public records reviewed.
What gas supply or generation is evidenced, and at what scope?Planning / policy requirement
Not established from the public records reviewed.
Does the applicable planning or connection policy require gas supply or generation?Connection claim against current policy
Not established from the public records reviewed.
Does the published connection claim meet the policy applicable to its application date, location and agreement status?Open questions for a Reality Check
Generated from unknown fields, missing derivation inputs and unresolved evidence. The questions identify the documents or specialist checks needed next.
60 questions to resolve
- Which TSO or DSO is responsible for this demand connection?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- What is the operator-confirmed connection substation or circuit?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- What voltage level is specified for the demand connection?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- What are the evidenced site and connection-point coordinates, and their calculated straight-line distance?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- What grid route length is published, and for which circuit?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- What applied mva is evidenced for the assessed site scope?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- What is the effective date of the applied connection evidence?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- Which buildings or phases does the applied connection evidence cover?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- What evidence level can be supported for capacityLadder.applied?
Verification has not been established.
- What offered mva is evidenced for the assessed site scope?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- What is the effective date of the offered connection evidence?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- Which buildings or phases does the offered connection evidence cover?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- What evidence level can be supported for capacityLadder.offered?
Verification has not been established.
- What accepted or contracted mva is evidenced for the assessed site scope?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- What is the effective date of the accepted connection evidence?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- Which buildings or phases does the accepted connection evidence cover?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- What evidence level can be supported for capacityLadder.accepted?
Verification has not been established.
- What energised mva is evidenced for the assessed site scope?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- What is the effective date of the energised connection evidence?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- Which buildings or phases does the energised connection evidence cover?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- What evidence level can be supported for capacityLadder.energised?
Verification has not been established.
- What connection agreement type and current status are documented?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- Does the agreement impose phased import-capacity limits?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- What flexibility or curtailment obligations apply?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- What on-site generation obligations apply?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- What securities are required, posted and still valid?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- What connection longstop or milestone dates apply?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- What is the published IT load in MW?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- On what electrical basis is the IT load in MW stated?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- Which phase or campus does the IT load in MW cover?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- What is the published facility load in MW?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- On what electrical basis is the facility load in MW stated?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- Which phase or campus does the facility load in MW cover?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- What is the published import capacity in MVA?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- On what electrical basis is the import capacity in MVA stated?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- Which phase or campus does the import capacity in MVA cover?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- What operator-published connection-to-energisation duration applies to this site and connection stage?
An application-to-offer processing target is not an energisation duration.
- Which reinforcements does the connection depend on, and what dates are published?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- Which grid works require planning, and what is their current consent status and dated programme?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- Which connection-policy conditions apply, and when could they be satisfied?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- What complete connection scope is published: bays, stations, voltage, circuits, route lengths and underground or overhead configuration?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- Is the published connection scope complete enough to match every component to a sourced benchmark?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- What behind-the-meter generation is evidenced, and at what scope?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- Does the applicable planning or connection policy require behind-the-meter generation?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- What battery storage is evidenced, and at what scope?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- Does the applicable planning or connection policy require battery storage?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- What a private wire is evidenced, and at what scope?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- Does the applicable planning or connection policy require a private wire?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- What gas supply or generation is evidenced, and at what scope?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- Does the applicable planning or connection policy require gas supply or generation?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- Does the published connection claim meet the policy applicable to its application date, location and agreement status?
Not established from the public records reviewed.
- Which checked country-grid sources and location-specific constraints apply to this connection?
No country-context relationship has been established for this record.
- Identify network and customer works, upstream reinforcement, land and wayleaves, taxes, fees, securities, contingency and the price base.
Connection-cost scope question.
- Resolve the energisation input: A dated, document-verified import-MVA rung for the assessed scope.
This missing input leaves an energisation bound unknown.
- Resolve the energisation input: An applicable duration from the evidenced stage to energisation, published by and matched to the observed site operator, rather than an offer-processing target.
This missing input leaves an energisation bound unknown.
- Resolve the energisation input: Connection-dependent reinforcement scope and completion dates
This missing input leaves an energisation bound unknown.
- Resolve the energisation input: Grid-works planning status and programme
This missing input leaves an energisation bound unknown.
- Resolve the energisation input: Applicable connection-policy conditions and programme
This missing input leaves an energisation bound unknown.
- Obtain a published complete connection scope with voltage, configuration and measured quantities.
This scope or reference gap prevents a complete indicative connection capex band.
- Establish that every necessary connection-work component is included in the published scope.
This scope or reference gap prevents a complete indicative connection capex band.
Request an assessment of this record and the evidence needed next. Share only public information or documents you are authorised to provide.
Request a Reality CheckEarlier capacity notes and source context
KLON-03 planned hybrid-cooled IT capacity. Not secured utility MVA.
Published claimProject source recordThe March 2025 HDR permit submission identifies the campus London Road customer substation and three 33 kV A/B/C feeds from Harlow West; redundant A/B full-load capability must not be summed. KLON-03's 17.6 MW is a planned IT rating. Neither the permit nor operator announcement establishes a separate building import entitlement, spare campus allocation or connection transferability.
IT load, facility demand, import capacity and equipment ratings retain their stated scope. A published figure does not establish spare or transferable supply.
Planning & utilities
8 of 10 categories contain evidence. Each status applies to its specific claim.
Grid & import rights
Partial evidenceThe March 2025 HDR permit submission identifies the campus London Road customer substation and three 33 kV A/B/C feeds from Harlow West; redundant A/B full-load capability must not be summed. KLON-03's 17.6 MW is a planned IT rating. Neither the permit nor operator announcement establishes a separate building import entitlement, spare campus allocation or connection transferability.
Sources & next check
Fibre & dark fibre
Partial evidenceZayo's 2023 lit/dark-fibre arrangement and euNetworks' Cambridge research link identify real campus carriers. Zayo located its two announced points of presence at KLON-01; neither release confirms KLON-03 entry ducts, physically separate routes or current service delivery at the new building.
Sources & next check
Ownership & development control
Partial evidenceThe issued June 2026 environmental variation names Harlow Operations Limited and incorporates KLON-03 regulated standby-generation activities. It confirms a regulatory operating entity, not land title, the lease route or a third party's ability to control development. No property owner is inferred from Kao's operating brand.
Sources & next check
Land, footprint & access
Partial evidenceThe current operator page places KLON-03 in the existing 15-acre Harlow campus and identifies it as a 17.6 MW building under development. Whole-campus area is not the KLON-03 plot area, available expansion land or a separately marketable parcel.
Sources & next check
Flood, ground & environment
Partial evidenceThe June 2026 permit variation adds 11 KLON-03 standby generators with SCR and associated surface-water/oil-interceptor controls. HDR's March 2025 site-condition submission reports sampled contaminants below its generic assessment criteria, negative asbestos results and no groundwater exceedances requiring further investigation. The regulator separately accepted incomplete historic baseline information with implications at surrender; the sampling report is not an unrestricted clean-site certificate.
Sources & next check
Water, cooling & heat
Partial evidenceKao's March 2025 design describes hybrid air and direct-to-chip liquid cooling within the same technology suite, supporting rack densities up to 130 kW. This is a planned KLON-03 capability, not proof of every rack configuration, installed liquid-cooling coverage, measured water performance or a contracted heat reuse scheme.
Sources & next check
Demand & location fit
Partial evidenceKao positions KLON-03 for AI training/inference close to London exchange and cloud connectivity. The announcement also discusses Ori on the Harlow campus; it does not establish a named KLON-03 tenancy, occupied MW or a specific customer commitment to this phase.
Sources & next check
Programme & delivery
Partial evidenceMaple Facades names JCA Engineering as KLON-03 contractor and Marchini Curran as architect. HDR's March 2025 submission targeted Q4 2026 handover; the current Harlow page still says under development. The generator variation issued 3 June 2026 is a regulatory milestone, not operational handover. Existing dated evidence of construction is retained.
Sources & next check
Not assessed
Evidence still needed
- Planning & decisions
A current planning decision, conditions and any appeal or court proceedings still need to be checked.
- Land-use zoning
The site boundary has not been matched to the current adopted zoning map and data-centre use policy.
Project team
Appointments are limited to the project, phase and scope supported by each source.
Main contractor
KLON-03 contractor named in Maple Facades' building-specific case study.
Appointment sourceArchitect
KLON-03 architecture and wider campus masterplan; architect reports construction started January 2024.
Appointment sourceEngineering consultant
Published campus MEP design scope includes planned KLON-03 and KLON-04; specific later construction-stage scope not established.
Appointment source2025 Harlow environmental-permit variation submission including KLON-03 standby generation; not evidence of a general MEP delivery appointment.
Appointment sourceUnlisted roles have no project-specific appointment recorded.
Sources
Publication dates are shown where known. Review dates do not establish approval or commissioning.
- Kao Data: KLON-03 construction announcementkaodata.com · 12 Mar 2025
- Kao Data: active KLON-03 buildkaodata.com · 18 Aug 2025
- Kao Data: current Harlow campus statuskaodata.com · Publication date unstated
- MEIT: campus design scopemeit.uk.com · Publication date unstated
- Marchini Curran: KLON-03 architecturemc-a.co.uk · Publication date unstated
- Maple Facades: KLON-03 architect and contractormaplefacades.co.uk · Publication date unstated
- Environment Agency: Harlow permit variation issuedgov.uk · 3 Jun 2026
- Environment Agency: EPR/WE4588AB/V002 variation and consolidated permitassets.publishing.service.gov.uk · 3 Jun 2026
- Environment Agency: EPR/WE4588AB/V002 decision documentassets.publishing.service.gov.uk · 3 Jun 2026
- HDR: Harlow permit variation non-technical summary submitted to the Environment Agencyconsult.environment-agency.gov.uk · 31 Mar 2025
- HDR: Harlow site condition report submitted to the Environment Agencyconsult.environment-agency.gov.uk · 31 Mar 2025
- Zayo: Harlow lit and dark-fibre agreement and KLON-01 points of presencezayo.com · 26 Jun 2023
- euNetworks: Cambridge research network and direct fibre to Harlow campuseunetworks.com · 11 Jan 2021
Original documents and maps retain their rights. Public access does not grant commercial redistribution rights.
