OpenAI to launch AI data center in Norway, its first in Europe

OpenAI announced plans to launch Stargate Norway, its first AI data center in Europe, in partnership with British AI cloud infrastructure provider Nscale and Norwegian energy firm Aker. The data center will be a 50/50 joint venture between Nscale and Aker, with OpenAI as an off-taker purchasing capacity from the facility. Located near Narvik, Norway, the site will leverage the region’s abundant hydropower, cool climate, and mature industrial base to run entirely on renewable energy. The initial phase will deliver 230 megawatts (MW) of capacity, expandable to 290 MW, and is expected to operate 100,000 Nvidia GPUs by the end of 2026. The facility will incorporate advanced cooling technology and reuse excess heat to support low-carbon enterprises locally. This initiative aligns with Europe’s broader push for AI sovereignty, data sovereignty, and sustainable infrastructure, as the EU recently announced multi-billion euro investments to build AI factories and enhance compute power within the bloc.