OpenAI's European AI Expansion

OpenAI is set to launch its first European AI data centre initiative, Stargate Norway, as part of its OpenAI for Countries programme. The project, located in Narvik, Northern Norway, will deliver 230MW of capacity, with ambitions to expand by an additional 290MW. The facility aims to house 100,000 NVIDIA GPUs by the end of 2026, with significant expansion planned for subsequent years.

The Stargate Norway project will be designed and built by Nscale, with ownership through a 50/50 joint venture between Nscale and Aker. The facility will operate entirely on renewable energy and incorporate closed-loop, direct-to-chip liquid cooling for maximum efficiency. Excess heat from the GPU systems will be available to support low-carbon enterprises in the region. Priority access to the compute capacity will be given to Norway's AI ecosystem, benefiting local AI start-ups and researchers.

This initiative represents a substantial AI infrastructure investment in Europe, leveraging Narvik's hydropower, low-cost energy, cool climate, and industrial base. The project aligns with the EU's push for digital sovereignty, reducing reliance on US-based cloud providers.