OpenAI

Introducing Stargate Norway

2025-07-31 · 00:00 UTC ·2 min read

Brief

Stargate Norway is OpenAI’s announced Narvik data-center project (2025-07-31) built with Nscale and Aker as a 50/50 JV, targeting 230 MW of compute (expandable by 290 MW) and 100,000 NVIDIA GPUs by end-2026. The site will be fully renewable (hydropower), employ closed-loop direct-to-chip liquid cooling, and pipe waste heat to local low-carbon industry while prioritizing regional researchers and startups.

Why it matters

OpenAI announced Stargate Norway on 2025-07-31: a Narvik-based project delivered with partners Nscale and Aker in a 50/50 joint venture as part of the OpenAI for Countries program.

Key details

  • The facility is planned for 230 MW capacity (with ambitions to expand by 290 MW) and aims to host 100,000 NVIDIA GPUs by end of 2026; it will run on renewable hydropower, use closed-loop direct-to-chip liquid cooling, and reuse excess heat for local low-carbon enterprises.
  • OpenAI says weekly active ChatGPT users in Norway quadrupled over the past year (majority under 35); OpenAI may be an initial offtaker and the site will prioritize access for Norwegian startups, researchers, and regional public/private users across the UK, Nordics and Northern Europe.
Source evidence

title: Introducing Stargate Norway
contenttype: article
publication: OpenAI
published: 2025-07-31T00:00:00
sourceurl: https://openai.com/index/introducing-stargate-norway

word_count: 534

Introducing Stargate Norway

We’re launching Stargate Norway—OpenAI’s first AI data center initiative in Europe under our OpenAI for Countries program. Stargate is OpenAI’s overarching infrastructure platform and is a critical part of our long-term vision to deliver the benefits of AI to everyone.

AI is a foundational technology that can boost productivity, drive economic growth, and power new industries. Large-scale compute capacity in Europe will help ensure that this transformation benefits people and communities including developers, researchers, scientists, and startups across Norway and Europe.

Across the continent, millions of people and businesses use ChatGPT and our API every day. In Norway alone, the number of weekly active ChatGPT users has quadrupled in the past year—most of them under 35—and includes thousands of local developers.

Stargate Norway partners include Nscale, a leading AI infrastructure provider with experience delivering cloud infrastructure across Europe and North America, and Aker, with its century-long legacy in energy and industry. The site will be designed and built by Nscale and is expected to be owned by a 50/50 joint venture between Nscale and Aker. More details on the JV and steps by Nscale and Aker to mobilize resources for construction here(opens in a new window).

Stargate Norway is planned to deliver 230MW of capacity, with ambitions to expand by an additional 290MW. The facility will target to deliver 100,000 NVIDIA GPUs by the end of 2026, with the intention to expand significantly in the years ahead. OpenAI welcomes the opportunity to be an initial offtaker with the option to scale over time under the OpenAI for Countries program.

This is one of the most ambitious AI infrastructure investments in Europe to date. Narvik’s abundant hydropower, low-cost energy, cool climate, and mature industrial base make it an ideal location to deliver large-scale, sustainable AI capacity.

The facility will run entirely on renewable power and is expected to incorporate closed-loop, direct-to-chip liquid cooling to ensure maximum cooling efficiency. Additionally, excess heat from the GPU systems will be made available to support low-carbon enterprises in the region.

Aker and Nscale will also work to provide priority access to Norway’s AI ecosystem, ensuring homegrown AI start-ups and scientific researchers can benefit from the additional compute capacity. Surplus capacity will be made available to public and private sector users across the UK, Nordics and Northern Europe, serving regional demand and accelerating the development of Europe’s AI ecosystem.

While in Norway, OpenAI will also engage with government officials to explore opportunities for collaboration, including boosting AI adoption and helping to deliver on Norway’s sovereign AI goals for the benefit of its people.

Stargate Norway follows the launch of Stargate UAE earlier this year and reflects our growing partnerships with governments and industrial leaders around the world including in Europe. We recently

an MOU with the UK Government to accelerate AI adoption and explore ways to bolster the necessary infrastructure, agreed a

signedto deploy ChatGPT across secondary schools, and we’ve recently submitted Expressions of Interest to join consortiums under the EU’s AI Gigafactories initiative. These projects are early-stage but they have the potential to power Europe’s future and provide sovereign compute capacity.

partnership with the Government of Estonia## Author

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