Another data center could be coming to Norway.

Norwegian electric utility Østfold Energi is developing plots for data centers in Sarpsborg and Valer, in collaboration with two of the company's owner municipalities. The Valer site is likely to be used by Google.

“We have extensive experience with project development in collaboration with landowners, local communities, and host municipalities. Projects like this can create new jobs and contribute to the income and activity that local communities in Østfold need,” said Morten Karlsen, director of industrial ownership and framework conditions at Østfold Energi.

In Hasle, Sarpsborg, the project is being developed by DC Sarpsborg, owned by Østfold Energi (66 percent) and Sarpsborg Municipality (34 percent).

The project is in the initial phase, and the zoning work has recently been initiated, with final consideration expected in 2027.

DC Sarpsborg has a long-term option agreement with landowners in Hasle, which covers an area of ​​a total of 1,740 acres. The site could support around 300MW, according to the DC Sarpsborg website.

The Sarpsborg Commune this month announced plans to extend the planning boundary to the area zoning plan to create more of a buffer zone.

Sarpsborg, historically Borg, is a city and municipality in Østfold county, some 90km south of Oslo near the country’s southeastern border with Sweden.

In Gylderåsen, Valer, the project is being developed through KI Våler AS, majority owned by Østfold Energi alongside Våler Municipality. KI Våler has granted Google the necessary rights to develop the project: the search giant has applied for network capacity, but the development is still in the early stages, and no investment decision has been made.

Valer is also part of Østfold, located south of Oslo and north of Sarpsborg. Google is also developing a data center campus in the Skien region of the country, having broken ground in February 2024.

The Skien site will be the company’s first data center in the Nordic country. Google first announced plans for a Norwegian data center region in October 2022.

Østfold Energi noted that the Norwegian Chamber of Commerce conducted a preliminary project in 2017 where 21 possible locations for data centers in Østfold were assessed. Østfold Energi stepped in as a commercial partner in 2019 to explore opportunities for collaboration, establishing KI Våler and DC Sarpsborg.