OpenAI to launch Stargate Norway, its first EU data center
OpenAI has announced plans to establish Stargate Norway, its first AI data center in Europe, as part of a joint venture with British AI cloud infrastructure provider Nscale and Norwegian energy firm Aker. The facility, to be built near Narvik in northern Norway, marks a significant step in OpenAI’s global expansion and aligns with Europe’s increasing focus on AI sovereignty and sustainable infrastructure.
Under the agreement, Nscale and Aker will each commit around $1 billion to fund the initial 20-megawatt (MW) phase of the data center. OpenAI will act as the primary "off-taker," securing computing capacity from the facility. Nscale will lead the design and construction process, and both companies will share ownership of the project equally.
OpenAI says the Stargate Norway site will eventually offer 230 MW of capacity, with expansion plans to reach 290 MW by the end of 2026. It will be powered by 100,000 Nvidia GPUs and run entirely on renewable energy — primarily hydropower — thanks to the region's abundant natural resources and cool climate. The facility will also feature cutting-edge liquid cooling technology and will recycle excess heat to support low-carbon enterprises in the area.
While Stargate Norway is not formally part of the European Union’s broader AI infrastructure initiative — which includes a €30 billion package for building AI factories and boosting computing power — OpenAI and its partners emphasize the project’s role in supporting European AI needs. Nscale CEO Josh Payne noted that the facility will help "leverage European sovereign compute" and prioritize access for Norway’s AI startups, researchers, and scientific institutions.
The timing of the announcement underscores growing momentum across Europe to secure data sovereignty and build domestic AI infrastructure. With the EU AI Act coming into force in August 2024, data centers must now adhere to strict environmental standards and energy transparency rules. Stargate Norway’s use of renewable power and waste heat recovery aligns with these mandates, including the bloc’s Energy Efficiency Directive.
This European expansion follows a series of global infrastructure moves by OpenAI, including a $500 billion plan to deploy 10 gigawatts of AI compute capacity in the U.S. with Oracle and SoftBank, and the recent launch of Stargate UAE. A separate partnership with the U.K. government is also underway to bolster AI adoption and infrastructure in Britain.
As demand for AI compute soars, Stargate Norway positions OpenAI to play a central role in Europe’s AI future — delivering not only the scale and power needed for next-generation models but also setting a standard for sustainability and regional access.
