Firebird has obtained a U.S. export license to bring 45,000 NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) graphics processors into Kazakhstan, a move that dwarfs the existing GPU footprint of state-owned telecom operator Kazakhtelecom. The license, announced on October 23 and published the following day, marks a significant step for the operator's planned data center expansion in the Central Asian nation.
The licensed inventory is approximately 51 times the 880 GPUs that NVIDIA identifies as already deployed in Astana and Almaty—comprising 400 H200 and 480 B300 units. While the chip count comparison is stark, NVIDIA cautions that different GPU generations make a direct performance comparison impossible. The existing units serve as an operating baseline for the proposed expansion, which targets commercial service in the third quarter of 2027.
However, securing the license is only the first hurdle. The immediate engineering challenge is converting authorized hardware into usable computing capacity. Power supply, cooling, networking, and system commissioning must accompany the delivery of processors. The license alone does not guarantee any of these operational milestones, and Firebird's announcement provides a service target without a detailed installation schedule.
Project Scale and Infrastructure
NVIDIA's account places Firebird's first phase at Data Center Valley, in partnership with Kazakhtelecom. The planned second phase would bring potential infrastructure capacity to approximately 500 megawatts, though neither announcement reports that capacity as operational. Firebird separately describes an estimated $5 billion investment and a cluster reaching up to 109 MW, with the 500 MW figure representing potential capacity after expansion. These remain planning figures, and the company has not defined whether each power figure measures IT equipment load or total facility demand.
The hardware requirements go beyond simple chip counts. For technical context, NVIDIA's GB300 NVL72 design connects 72 Blackwell Ultra GPUs and 36 Grace CPUs within a single rack. Firebird names GB300 GPUs but has not specified its final rack configuration, leaving a complete system inventory unavailable.
Domestic Access Commitment
Domestic users have a separate commitment to assess. Firebird pledges at least 10% of total GPU capacity to Kazakhstani companies and government agencies. That promise describes capacity access but provides no dedicated physical-GPU allocation, published rental price, or service-level guarantee for those users. The proposed Firebird Labs Kazakhstan would support startups, research, and technical training, but the company has not supplied a launch date or quantified program budget.
NVIDIA chief executive Jensen Huang emphasized the importance of energy at an October 23 presidential meeting, noting that this new industry requires energy at its foundation. The presidential account identifies partnerships with Firebird AI KZ and Kazakhtelecom but gives no separate confirmation of processor deliveries or commissioned computing capacity.
Delivery Responsibilities and Risks
The division of delivery responsibilities is critical to the construction timetable. The Times of Central Asia reported on October 24 that the earlier arrangement assigned infrastructure provision—including power, cooling, and telecommunications—to Kazakhtelecom, while Firebird's Kazakh unit would finance computing hardware and related systems. This split means that delays in either stream could push back the Q3 2027 target.
Key risks include power connections, cooling installation, and equipment commissioning. An export license does not demonstrate completed deliveries. Missing installation and service-pricing details also limit assessment of when domestic customers can obtain usable capacity. NVIDIA separately describes two Kazakhtelecom additions targeted for 2027: over 1,000 GPUs at Data Center Valley and over 1,000 Vera Rubin GPUs in Ekibastuz. It gives no consolidated commissioning calendar covering those additions and Firebird's license, leaving the question of how much capacity paying customers will actually receive when the first phase opens.
