Frankfurt, Germany – December 2025 – Amazon Web Services (AWS) has deployed ABB REM543 control devices to manage the critical power distribution system of its flagship Frankfurt data center, achieving 99.99% power reliability—equating to just 4.38 hours of unplanned downtime annually. The deployment, part of AWS’s global data center infrastructure upgrade, addresses the data center’s growing power demands and strict requirements for continuous operation.
The Challenge: Uninterrupted Power for Mission-Critical Operations
AWS’s Frankfurt data center, one of the largest in Europe, supports thousands of enterprise customers with mission-critical applications, requiring 24/7/365 power availability. Prior to the upgrade, the data center’s power distribution system relied on legacy control devices that lacked real-time monitoring capabilities, leading to blind spots in power flow management. This resulted in three unplanned downtime incidents in 2024, totaling 12 hours and costing an estimated €2.4 million in customer compensation and operational losses. Additionally, the legacy systems were unable to efficiently manage the data center’s 100 MW power capacity, leading to 8-10% energy inefficiency due to suboptimal load balancing.
“Data center operators live and die by power reliability—even a minute of downtime can have catastrophic consequences for our customers,” said Stephan Weber, AWS’s European Data Center Operations Director. “Our legacy control systems were not designed to handle the scale and complexity of our modern data center operations. We needed a control solution that could provide granular visibility into power flows, enable predictive maintenance, and ensure seamless failover between power sources.”
The Solution: ABB REM543’s Precision Control for Data Center Power Systems
AWS selected the ABB REM543 for its ability to deliver real-time, granular power monitoring and precise control of the data center’s power distribution system. Key features of the REM543 tailored to data center needs include:
- Granular Power Monitoring: The REM543 monitors 128+ power parameters, including voltage, current, power factor, and energy consumption, with a sampling rate of 10 ms. This provides AWS technicians with real-time visibility into power flows across all distribution panels, eliminating blind spots.
- Predictive Maintenance Capabilities: The device’s built-in analytics detect abnormal power patterns and component degradation, enabling predictive maintenance. This allows AWS to address potential issues before they cause downtime.
- Seamless Failover Control: The REM543 automates failover between the data center’s main power supply and backup generators, ensuring zero power interruption during outages. Its fast response time (less than 100 ms) meets the data center’s strict UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) integration requirements.
- Energy Efficiency Optimization: The device’s load balancing algorithm optimizes power distribution across the data center’s 20+ power distribution units (PDUs), reducing energy inefficiency by 8-10% through optimal load matching.
The Results: Industry-Leading Reliability & Energy Savings
Since deploying the ABB REM543 in Q3 2025, AWS’s Frankfurt data center has achieved remarkable results:
| Metric |
Before REM543 Deployment |
After REM543 Deployment |
Improvement |
| Power Reliability (Uptime) |
99.97% (16.68 hours downtime/year) |
99.99% (4.38 hours downtime/year) |
74% Reduction in Downtime |
| Annual Energy Efficiency Loss |
8-10% |
1-2% |
88% Reduction in Energy Waste |
| Unplanned Downtime Incidents/Year |
3 |
0 |
100% Elimination |
| Maintenance Costs for Power Systems |
€850,000/Year |
€425,000/Year |
50% Reduction |
“The ABB REM543 has set a new standard for power management in our data centers,” Weber stated. “The 99.99% reliability rating is a significant milestone, and the energy savings have contributed to our sustainability goal of powering all AWS data centers with 100% renewable energy by 2025. We are already planning to deploy the REM543 across 15 more data centers in Europe and Asia by 2027.”
Elena Petrova, ABB’s Global Head of Data Center Power Solutions, added: “Data centers require control devices that can deliver uncompromising reliability and visibility. The REM543 is designed to meet these demands, helping data center operators reduce downtime, optimize energy use, and support their sustainability objectives. AWS’s success is a testament to the device’s capabilities in mission-critical environments.”
