Data Centre Power Chain and Infrastructure

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering data centre power chain stages, electrical specifications, redundancy configurations, AI density impacts, and corporate milestones for Anord Mardix and Flex.

Data Centre Power Chain (8 Stages)

The end-to-end sequential power path: Grid (MV supply) -> MV switchgear -> Step-down transformer -> Main LV switchboard -> Generator + ATS -> UPS -> Distribution (busway / PDUs) -> Rack (dual-PSU servers).

"Good Mechanics Take Main Generators Up Data Rows"

The mnemonic for the 8 stages of the data centre power chain: Grid, MV switchgear, Transformer, Main LV switchboard, Generator/ATS, UPS, Distribution, and Rack.

Medium Voltage (MV) Utility Supply

The voltage level at which the utility provides electrical power to a data centre, typically $10\,\text{kV}$ or $20\,\text{kV}$.

Step-Down Transformer

Equipment typically with a Dyn11 vector group and rated around $2\,\text{MVA}$ to $2.5\,\text{MVA}$ that converts MV down to $400\,\text{V}$ three-phase ($230\,\text{V}$ phase-to-neutral).

Transformer LV Current Calculation

The formula used to determine low-voltage current: $I = \frac{S}{\sqrt{3} \times 400} \approx 1.44\,\text{A per kVA}$, yielding approximately $3{,}600\,\text{A}$ for a $2.5\,\text{MVA}$ transformer and roughly $2{,}900\,\text{A}$ for a $2\,\text{MVA}$ transformer.

Main LV Switchboard (MSB)

The primary low-voltage board located downstream of the step-down transformer; Anord Mardix's core product, featuring an ACB incomer that feeds the busbars and outgoing breakers feeding downstream systems.

Air Circuit Breaker (ACB)

The incoming circuit breaker on the main switchboard, designed to handle thousands of amperes and high electrical fault levels.

Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS)

A switching device that automatically transfers the electrical load from the mains to the backup generator when utility power fails, and switches back when mains power is restored.

Interlocked Changeover

A safety interlock configuration preventing the utility mains supply and the emergency generator from ever being connected in parallel by accident.

Generator Pickup Time

The duration of approximately $10\,\text{to}\,15\,\text{seconds}$ required for a data centre standby generator to start up and assume the facility's electrical load.

Double-Conversion UPS

An uninterruptible power supply that uses a rectifier to convert AC to DC to charge batteries on a DC bus, and an inverter to convert DC back to AC, delivering seamless power with no break alongside a maintenance bypass path.

UPS and Generator Complementarity

The cooperative relationship where the UPS provides immediate, no-break power for several minutes to bridge the $10\,\text{to}\,15\,\text{seconds}$ it takes for the generator to start, after which the generator runs for hours or days.

Busway

Overhead busbar trunking running along the data hall equipped with tap-off units dropping power down to individual racks, allowing faster installation and reconfiguration than conventional cabling.

PDUs and RPPs

Power distribution units and remote power panels; distribution boards situated inside the data hall that supply power directly to the server racks.

Dual-PSU Servers

Servers configured with redundant power supplies connected independently to an A path and a B path, allowing uninterrupted operation if either electrical path fails.

N Redundancy

A baseline system configuration providing exactly the capacity required to satisfy the load, with zero excess or spare units.

N+1 Redundancy

A power redundancy topology providing baseline required capacity ($N$) plus one additional spare unit (such as a spare UPS module or generator), enabling the system to survive the failure of a single unit.

2N Redundancy

A high-reliability configuration consisting of two separate, independent power paths (A and B), each capable of carrying the entire load independently; it is the most resilient and costly topology.

Concurrently Maintainable

A system design property allowing any component or power path to be removed from service for scheduled maintenance without interrupting power to the IT load.

AI Rack Power Density

Power requirements of approximately $100\,\text{kW}$ and rising per rack for AI workloads, compared to traditional rack power requirements of about $5\,\text{to}\,15\,\text{kW}$ per rack.

AI Density Switchgear Impacts

The infrastructure demands driven by high AI power requirements, including more current per row, larger busbars and busway, higher short-circuit levels, liquid cooling, and a transition toward higher-voltage DC distribution such as $800\,\text{V DC}$.

Anord Mardix

A critical power infrastructure manufacturer established in 2018 through the merger of Anord Control Systems (Dundalk) and Mardix (UK), producing LV switchgear, busway, power distribution, modular power systems, and monitoring.

Flex Acquisition of Anord Mardix

The transaction completed on 1 December 2021 in which Flex purchased Anord Mardix from Bertram Capital for $\$540\,\text{million}$ in cash.

Axiom Solutions International

Flex's Cloud and Power Infrastructure segment planned to be spun off in Q1 2027 as a Nasdaq-listed company (ticker AXM), focusing on power, cooling, and compute infrastructure for AI data centres.

EPC Power

A power conversion technology company acquired by Flex on 14 October 2026, aimed at enabling $800\,\text{V DC}$ data centre power architectures.