Norway Pauses New Data Center Power Reservations Amid Grid Capacity Concerns

The ban is expected to be lifted by August 1, 2027.

“We want data centers in Norway, but we cannot have all types of data centers,” Norway’s Minister for Digitalization, Torgeir Micaelsen, told reporters.

“We therefore need to control growth and ensure that Norway gets the data centers we actually need,” he added.

Data centers in Norway already use 800 megawatts. Another 4,200 megawatts have been reserved, while a further 9,100 megawatts are in the queue for other data centers. On top of this, future projects have requested 18,000 megawatts.

A Norwegian report recently concluded that data centers create few new jobs in Norway once established, and that 90 percent of their owners are foreign.