News Details

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Digital Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE: DLR), a leading global provider of data center solutions, announced today that its owned and operated facilities that were in the path of Superstorm Sandy and the Nor'easter that followed maintained 100% uptime. A total of 15 sites were directly impacted in seven states, including Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and North Carolina.

As part of its ongoing preparedness program, Digital Realty maintains multiple contracts with fuel suppliers to provide uninterrupted power to its customers.  Under these fuel contracts, Digital Realty took delivery of over 176,000 gallons of fuel, consuming over 60% in 165 hours of generator support for its data centers impacted by utility outages. Additionally, the Company assisted several customers with procuring over 30,000 gallons of fuel for their own corporate data centers, some of which were located at sites that were not owned or operated by Digital Realty.

"We arranged for fuel, if needed, for our customers' primary and secondary locations that were in the path of Sandy," said David Caron, Senior Vice President, Portfolio Management at Digital Realty. "It proved to be a sound decision.  With respect to our facilities, we believe our performance during these extraordinary circumstances demonstrated the resiliency of our Turn-Key Flex℠ design as well as the skill and dedication of our technical and property operations teams."

Digital Realty operating team members worked over 9,000 hours during the storm and immediately afterwards in order to ensure the Company's data centers had the power resources needed to support customers' operations.

As an added precaution, Digital Realty had dispatched manufacturers' representatives to be on site around the clock to assist customers who might face problems that would not have otherwise been resolved due to transportation limitations. Over 9 megawatts of power were provided via generators for extended utility outages at four of the Company's facilities.

"With a total of 15 sites affected by the storm, we are especially proud of the way our local teams performed over the past few weeks.  Their commitment and dedication resulted in the highest level of customer service under the most challenging circumstances," said Michael F. Foust, Chief Executive Officer at Digital Realty. "Our teams kept our customers' data centers up and running, often coming up with creative solutions under extremely difficult conditions, and in some cases supported data center operations at non-Digital Realty locations.  Their outstanding performance and the resiliency of our designs were the direct result of our long operating history, our rigorous maintenance and testing procedures, as well as our disciplined approach to emergency preparedness."

About Digital Realty
Digital Realty Trust, Inc. focuses on delivering customer driven data center solutions by providing secure, reliable and cost effective facilities that meet each customer's unique data center needs. Digital Realty's customers include domestic and international companies across multiple industry verticals ranging from information technology and Internet enterprises, to manufacturing and financial services. Digital Realty's 110 properties, excluding three properties held as investments in unconsolidated joint ventures, comprise approximately 21.2 million square feet as of October 26, 2012, including 2.2 million square feet of space held for redevelopment. Digital Realty's portfolio is located in 32 markets throughout Europe, North America, Asia and Australia. Additional information about Digital Realty is included in the Company Overview, which is available on the Investors page of Digital Realty's website at http://www.digitalrealty.com.

Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements which are based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially, including statements related to the impact of Superstorm Sandy on our operations, which are based on our current estimates. These risks and uncertainties include, among others, the following: the impact of the recent deterioration in global economic, credit and market conditions, including the downgrade of the U.S. government's credit rating; current local economic conditions in our geographic markets; decreases in information technology spending, including as a result of economic slowdowns or recession; adverse economic or real estate developments in our industry or the industry sectors that we sell to (including risks relating to decreasing real estate valuations and impairment charges); our dependence upon significant tenants; bankruptcy or insolvency of a major tenant or a significant number of smaller tenants; defaults on or non-renewal of leases by tenants; our failure to obtain necessary debt and equity financing; increased interest rates and operating costs; risks associated with using debt to fund our business activities, including re-financing and interest rate risks, our failure to repay debt when due, adverse changes in our credit ratings or our breach of covenants or other terms contained in our loan facilities and agreements; financial market fluctuations; changes in foreign currency exchange rates; our inability to manage our growth effectively; difficulty acquiring or operating properties in foreign jurisdictions; our failure to successfully integrate and operate acquired or redeveloped properties or businesses; risks related to joint venture investments, including as a result of our lack of control of such investments; delays or unexpected costs in development or redevelopment of properties; decreased rental rates or increased vacancy rates; increased competition or available supply of data center space; our inability to successfully develop and lease new properties and space held for redevelopment; difficulties in identifying properties to acquire and completing acquisitions; our inability to acquire off-market properties; our inability to comply with the rules and regulations applicable to reporting companies; our failure to maintain our status as a REIT; possible adverse changes to tax laws; restrictions on our ability to engage in certain business activities; environmental uncertainties and risks related to natural disasters; losses in excess of our insurance coverage; changes in foreign laws and regulations, including those related to taxation and real estate ownership and operation; and changes in local, state and federal regulatory requirements, including changes in real estate and zoning laws and increases in real property tax rates.  For a further list and description of such risks and uncertainties, see the reports and other filings by the Company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011 and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2012, June 30, 2012 and September 30, 2012.  The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE Digital Realty Trust, Inc.