Data centre operator Aruba buys three hydro plants in Italy

MILAN, July 9 (Reuters) - Cloud and data centre operator Aruba has acquired three hydroelectric power plants in northern Italy, boosting its renewable energy generation capacity.

The purchase is part of the company's broader strategy of directly owning and operating renewable energy assets rather than sourcing green power exclusively through market purchases.

• The company said the three new hydroelectric plants were already operational and generated around 10 gigawatt hours (GWh) of renewable electricity annually.

• Following the acquisition, Aruba's hydro portfolio rises to 11 plants with total annual renewable generation exceeding 60 GWh, equivalent to the electricity consumption of more than 22,000 households.

• Aruba's total hydroelectric capacity is about 11.6 megawatt.

• The company has also installed solar panels on its data centres in Rome and near the city of Bergamo, in northern Italy.

(Reporting by Francesca LandiniEditing by Keith Weir)