# How do small data centers still get power in FLAP-D cities?

> Mostly by staying under the size where scarce-capacity rules start, buying sites that already hold capacity, moving just outside the constrained grid, or bringing their own power. Thresholds are low: **3.5 MW** in Frankfurt (1 MW in local bottlenecks), **3.5 MVA** in Berlin, **5 MVA and 2,000 m²** in Amsterdam, **1 MVA** in Dublin.

By Razvan Toma, Founder & CEO, Ampervia · Last checked 2026-10-12 · https://ampervia.com/answers/small-data-center-power-flap-d/

## Key facts

- Frankfurt (NRM): new requests of 3.5 MW or more are allocated pro rata; in local bottlenecks from above 1 MW (ingenieur.de).
- Berlin: from 3.5 MVA, capacity is shared out once a year; 70 requests for about 2,300 MVA met 365 MVA available, 47 qualified and 37 received capacity (ingenieur.de).
- Amsterdam: zoning restricts data centers above 2,000 m² floor area and 5 MVA connection capacity (Gemeenteblad 2026-433374).
- Dublin: below 1 MVA a site is exempt from the CRU data centre decision; 1–10 MVA sites must provide an autoproducer unit covering 100% of MIC (Mason Hayes & Curran).
- Germany’s Data Center Capital launched with eight sites of 2–9.5 MW, 46 MW in total, all in southern German cities (IDCNova).

## The six routes

- **Stay under the threshold** (edge and enterprise sites of 1–3.5 MW).
- **Buy a site that already holds capacity**, such as an existing building or older data center.
- **Use approvals granted before the rules tightened.**
- **Move just outside the constrained grid area.**
- **Own or nearby generation** (required in Dublin for 1–10 MVA).
- **Accept a non-firm connection** where offered.

## Questions

### Is there a ban on data centers in these cities?

Not a general ban. Capacity is rationed, and Amsterdam limits size by zoning.

### Why are secondary German cities attractive?

Smaller loads fit local grids; Data Center Capital’s launch portfolio of sub-10 MW sites shows the model.

## Sources

1. [ingenieur.de — how Germany now allocates connections for data centers](https://www.ingenieur.de/technik/fachbereiche/kuenstliche-intelligenz/zu-wenig-strom-fur-ki-wie-deutschland-jetzt-anschlusse-fur-rechenzentren-verteilt/)
2. [Gemeenteblad 2026-433374 — Datacenters Amsterdam zoning change](https://zoek.officielebekendmakingen.nl/gmb-2026-433374.html)
3. [Mason Hayes & Curran — new data centre connection rules (Ireland)](https://www.mhc.ie/latest/insights/new-data-centre-connection-rules)
4. [IDCNova — Data Center Capital launches with €500M edge colocation investment](https://www.idcnova.com/news/New-German-operator-Data-Center-Capital-launches-with-500M-Edge-colocation-investment)

---
Primary resource: the Ampervia Powered-Land Map — https://ampervia.com/powered-land-map/