China builds massive underwater supercomputer with power of six million PCs

While construction on the massive supercomputer began in April, Chinese media reported that additional data centers with the power of 60,000 PCs have added to the underwater project.

10:40 ET, Mon, Nov 27, 2023 | UPDATED: 11:59 ET, Mon, Nov 27, 2023

Data centers being lowered underwater

China is building a massive underwater supercomputer off its southern coast. (Image: CCTV)

China has begun construction on a gigantic underwater data center that will have immense computing power.

While Beijing began installing data storage units in April, a report by China Central Television (CCTV) said that engineers installed another storage unit in the past few days.

Each unit has the ability to process over four million high-definition images in 30 seconds, according to CCTV. That's about the power of 60,000 personal computers.

Highlander - the data center company installing the massive machines - has plans to put 100 units at the bottom of the sea meaning, when finished, the data center will have the power of 6 million PCs.

The data storage units each weigh about 1,433 tons and are submerged under 35 meters (115 feet) of water.

Equipment being lower into the ocean.

While construction reportedly began in April, more data centers have been added in recent days. (Image: CCTV)

The systems will use the frigid seawater to keep the storage chips cool, saving about 105,000 tons of freshwater per year that would be needed to keep the center from overheating.

In addition, this will save an estimated 122 million kilowatt-hours of electricity.

The supercomputer is being installed off the coast of China's Hainan Province in the South China Sea. The system is being backed by the Sanya government and is set to be completed in 2025 costing around $879million.