Data Centers in Santa Elena
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Santa Elena – The Pacific Gateway for Global Connectivity
Executive Summary
Santa Elena serves as the critical international landing point for Ecuador subsea cable infrastructure, facilitating low-latency global transit. This market is a strategic choice for telecommunications providers and enterprises requiring high-capacity international backhaul and direct access to Pacific-side subsea systems. Location here ensures high-speed connectivity for the Americas while leveraging one of the most stable industrial power profiles in the region.
Santa Elena: At A Glance
| Factor | Rating / Data | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Global Connectivity Grade | B | Critical landing site for international subsea cables. |
| Direct Cloud On-Ramps | 0 – as of September 2025 | Nearest on-ramp access is available in Guayaquil. |
| Power Cost | $0.09/kWh – as of December 2021 | Competitive pricing driven by hydroelectric sources. |
| Disaster Risk | High (5.4/10) – as of December 2024 | Primarily seismic and coastal hazards. |
| Tax Incentives | No – as of September 2025 | Standard national commercial tax rates apply. |
| Sales Tax | 15% VAT – as of December 2024 | Standard rate for digital and industrial services. |
Network & Connectivity Ecosystem
Carrier Density & Carrier Neutrality: Carrier count: over 5, as of September 2025. While the physical data center footprint is concentrated, the density of international carriers remains high due to the subsea cable landing stations in Salinas. This concentration provides resilient path diversity for global traffic.
Direct Cloud On-Ramps: 0, enabling access to 0 cloud regions, as of September 2025. Direct public cloud on-ramps are not physically located in Santa Elena. Enterprises typically utilize private line extensions or wavelengths to reach cloud hubs in Guayaquil or regional centers in Colombia and Brazil.
Internet Exchange Points (IXPs): Local peering is generally managed through national exchange points in Guayaquil or Quito, as of September 2025. This structure ensures domestic traffic remains within the country while Santa Elena remains the primary gateway for international transit.
Bare Metal: Specialized compute requirements can be met through regional providers or global platforms such as Latitude.sh and OVHcloud, as of September 2025. These services provide scalable infrastructure for edge deployments near critical subsea assets.
Power Analysis
Average Cost Of Power: $0.09/kWh, as of December 2021. The utility mix is sustainable, with approximately 65% coming from hydroelectric sources and 35% from fossil fuels. These rates offer a clear operational cost advantage for high-uptime environments compared to other coastal markets.
Power Grid Reliability: The local grid infrastructure in the Santa Elena corridor is well-engineered to support the critical requirements of international cable landing stations, as of September 2025. Facilities often benefit from redundant industrial feeds and multi-substation support to ensure continuous operation.
Market Access, Business & Tax Climate
Proximity To Key Business Districts: Infrastructure is centrally located near Salinas, as of September 2025. This location allows for immediate proximity to international subsea assets while maintaining a short physical distance to Guayaquil, Ecuador largest commercial and financial center.
Regional Market Reach: Santa Elena is the gateway for the majority of Ecuador international data traffic, as of September 2025. It serves as a critical link for the national population and provides essential transit routes for regional players in the Andean market.
Tax Advantage For Data Centers: There are currently no specific tax incentives for data center operations in this region, as of September 2025. The primary financial benefit for operators is the stable industrial electricity pricing which helps maintain predictable long-term operational expenditures.
Natural Disaster Risk
The overall risk for Santa Elena is rated as High (5.4/10), as of December 2024. Infrastructure in this region is built to withstand a challenging environmental profile. The highest-scoring natural hazards include:
- Earthquake: 9.5 – Extreme seismic risk requires high-specification structural engineering.
- Tsunami: 9.0 – Coastal location necessitates elevated site selection for critical equipment.
- River Flood: 6.5 – Significant seasonal rainfall can impact low-lying areas.
- Epidemic: 6.1 – National health resilience programs manage regional exposure.
- Coastal Flood: 4.9 – Indirect regional exposure to storm surges and rising sea levels.
Other hazards such as droughts are considered minor. Sites are typically chosen for their physical security and elevation to mitigate these specific coastal and seismic threats.
