OpenAI Picks Norway for Its First European Data Centre
The site will be developed and designed by Nscale.
OpenAI has announced Stargate Norway, its first major AI data center project in Europe, under the “OpenAI for Countries” initiative. Located in Narvik, the facility aims to deliver 230 megawatts of capacity, with a planned expansion of an additional 290MW, targeting 100,000 NVIDIA GPUs by 2026.
The site will be developed and designed by Nscale, an AI infrastructure firm, and co-owned with Aker, a Norwegian industrial leader. Stargate Norway is being billed as one of Europe’s largest AI infrastructure investments, strategically placed to leverage Norway’s abundant hydropower, cool climate, and strong industrial base.
OpenAI says the new infrastructure will help support developers, researchers, and startups across Norway and Europe. “Millions across Europe already use ChatGPT and our API,” OpenAI said. In Norway alone, ChatGPT usage has quadrupled in the last year, particularly among users under 35.
The facility will run entirely on renewable energy, using direct-to-chip liquid cooling for efficiency. Excess heat will be redirected to support local low-carbon enterprises. Surplus compute capacity will be made available to the public and private sectors across Northern Europe.
OpenAI will also work with the Norwegian government to boost national AI adoption. Stargate Norway follows similar partnerships in the UAE, UK, and Estonia, as part of OpenAI’s broader push to expand sovereign AI infrastructure globally.
