Ulanqab, Inner Mongolia, China
VNET Bayin Ulanqab is an operational AI data center with AI chips owned by VNET and used by ByteDance (speculative). It hosts an estimated 123k H100-equivalents of compute, supported by 221 MW of IT power at a capital cost of $8.4 B. In Q3 2027, we project it to rise to 388k H100-eq compute, 700 MW IT power and a cost of $26.5 B. We estimate that it uses Huawei Ascend 910C chips.
The timeline of IT power and compute capacity is based on satellite imagery, our cooling equipment power model, chip availability, and chip efficiency.
VNET has described the Ulanqab campus as large language model oriented, and handling training related requests. This campus is part of VNET’s broader 10 GW project to build three gigawatt-class clusters by 2036.
Satellite imagery
CURRENT COMPUTE
123k H100-eq
2.43e20 8-bit OP/s
PROJECTED
388k H100-eq
7.68e20 8-bit OP/s
CURRENT IT POWER
221 MW
PROJECTED IT POWER
700 MW
CURRENT COST
$8.4 B
PROJECTED COST
$26.5 B
Land clearing begins late March, as can be seen in satellite images (eastern part: buildings 1 & 2). VNET officially announces its signing ceremony with the Ulanqab municipal government and Shandong Hi-Speed Holdings.
Satellite imagery shows five buildings (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) under construction. Chillers are in place, but no roof is complete for any building.
Building 1 is operational, based on a 3-month fit-out period after structural completion in April, as can be seen from satellite imagery.
Satellite imagery shows that in total nine buildings have started construction, with building 1 being the only one operational. Buildings 2 and 5 are structurally complete, and the final roofs for buildings 3 and 4 have begun.
Buildings 2 and 5 are operational, based on a 3-month fit-out period after structural completion in August, as can be seen from satellite imagery. Land clearing for the northern part of campus (buildings 10 and 11) has started.
Building 4 is operational, similarly based on a 3-month fit-out period after structural completion in September, as seen from satellite imagery.
Satellite imagery shows four operational buildings (1, 2, 4, 5), and the western part of campus (6, 7, 8, 9) has made significant construction progress. The foundation for the northern part of campus (10, 11) has started.
Satellite imagery shows building 9 has completed all its chillers, with only its roof remaining. Previous building completion timelines would imply this building will be operational by the end of 2026.
Estimated: the nine-building section of the campus is projected to be fully operational by late 2027 or early 2028. VNET's eastern cluster (buildings 1-5) took roughly a year each from clearing to operational based on satellite imagery. The western cluster (buildings 6-9) was cleared in late 2024 but as of mid-2026 is not yet structurally complete, putting each on track for ~2 years from clearing to operational. Buildings 10 and 11 are projected to be completed sometime later. Comparable data centers in Ulanqab are expected to take at least 6 months per phase (China Unicom).