Equipo ViaParaguay
Crusoe, a US artificial intelligence infrastructure company, announced on October 22, 2026 a partnership with Araico, a Paraguayan company, to deploy AI cloud infrastructure in Paraguay. The data center would sit adjacent to the Itaipú substation and run on power from that plant. The initial deployment is planned for mid-2027.
Who is who
Itaipú is the binational hydroelectric plant on the Paraná River. It has more than 14,000 MW of installed capacity. ANDE is Paraguay's state electricity company, and Sitrande is the union of its workers. Araico is the Paraguayan company partnering on the project.
An AI data center is a facility with a large number of servers dedicated to training and running artificial intelligence models. It uses a great deal of electricity, which is why abundant hydroelectric power weighs so heavily in this kind of project, as described in the guide to the artificial intelligence and data center hub in South America. The same power already attracts other large consumers, as the analysis of Paraguay and bitcoin mining explains.
What is confirmed and whose figures they are
Crusoe speaks of a "path to scale to 106 MW" of IT capacity, with long-term growth options of about 280 MW. These are the company's figures, not capacity installed today. The statement does not name the municipality: it only says the site would be next to the Itaipú substation.
President Peña, quoted in the statement, said the partnership directly unlocks new value from the country's natural resources. The phrase "largest foreign private investment in Paraguay's history" belongs to Landau, who led the US delegation, as quoted in Crusoe's statement. The US State Department fact sheet of October 21, covering the commercial visit to Asunción from October 19 to 21, which included a meeting with Peña and the foreign minister, speaks of "potentially one of the largest private investments in Paraguay's history."
The tariff: two figures, two sources
According to ABC Color, Daniel Zuccolillo, of Araico, mentioned on September 30 a tariff of US$45 per MWh at 220 kV (kilovolts, the voltage level of the line), with an adjustment of 2.5% or US inflation if higher. The MWh is the megawatt-hour, the unit used to measure energy consumed. Also according to ABC Color, Villalba, a Sitrande leader, spoke of US$48 per MWh in a 15-year contract, which he said he was told by the president of ANDE.
Power would reach Araico from Itaipú through ANDE, which is the entity that can buy it, according to ABC Color. According to the same outlet, the union announced a mobilization for next week.
What is still unknown
ANDE has not publicly reported on the contract, according to ABC Color on October 23, so no official tariff has been published. Nor has it been stated that the tariff in Araico's talks is the one for the project with Crusoe.
Separately, Araico has its own campus, "Iguazú AI City," whose first 6 MW phase is planned for December 2026, according to ABC Color. It is an Araico project, distinct from the partnership with Crusoe.
For those weighing operations in Paraguay
Anyone considering setting up in the country can review the types of business in Paraguay and the maquila regime. If you need guidance for a project of your own, reach us through contact.