Ulanqab expands data centres as chip companies retain staff with shares
13 new computing projects were announced for Hohhot and Ulanqab as Ulanqab commitments reached 12.5 gigawatts. Chinese chip companies are also using broad share awards to retain key staff.
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Thirteen new projects were signed in Inner Mongolia
The 2026 Green Computing Conference opened in Hohhot on 22 August. Organisers said 13 projects covering chip testing, equipment manufacturing, computing centres and token factories were signed across Hohhot and Ulanqab. Planned investment was put at 136.1 billion yuan, 6.8 times the 20 billion yuan signed in 2025. Officials from the National Data Bureau and Hohhot municipality also announced longer-term investment and revenue targets. The figures came from officials at a state-organised event and have no independent confirmation.[1]
Water emerges as a limit to Ulanqab's 12.5-gigawatt buildout
WIRED reports that nearly 100 data centres have opened or broken ground in Ulanqab, a city of about 1.5 million people, since 2016. Drawing on Goldman Sachs research, the report puts Chinese companies' pledged capacity there at 12.5 gigawatts, with more than 70 per cent announced in the past year. Wind, solar, coal and cold winters reduce electricity and cooling costs, while two fibre links pushed latency below 5 milliseconds. Annual rainfall is about 360 millimetres. The local water company shut some facilities for 7 hours each night last month.[2]
Cambricon released nearly 600,000 shares for 124 key staff
The South China Morning Post reports that Chinese chip and AI companies are turning to equity to retain staff as competition for engineers continues. Cambricon Technologies released nearly 600,000 shares for 124 key employees, worth an average 5.57 million yuan a person. A separate award of 5 million shares to 944 employees covers 85.3 per cent of its workforce through 2028. Zhongji InnoLight allocated 2.48 million shares to 99 staff in its April vesting cycle. AMEC's restricted-share programme, announced in March 2026, covers more than 97 per cent of its workforce.[3]
