A series of data center projects under development in Sør-Rogaland are projected to consume more electricity than all homes in southern and southwestern Norway combined, sparking widespread concern over Norway’s future energy distribution.
According to a report by Stavanger Aftenblad, approximately 10 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of annual energy consumption has been reserved for data centers in the region—surpassing the entire residential electricity consumption within price area NO2.
Over 1 gigawatt of capacity allocated or queued
Currently, 573 megawatts have been allocated to projects connected to the Bjerkreim, Bærheim, and Fagrafjell transformer stations. An additional 518 megawatts are in the queue, pending future availability.
Google, Green Horizon, and Green Mountain are among the companies applying for these energy-intensive operations, some of which are being considered for the North Sea Energy Park AS in Bjerkreim.
National electricity consumption under pressure
Data center applications now total 9829 megawatts, equivalent to an annual consumption of 86.1 terawatt-hours (TWh). For comparison, all Norwegian households consumed just 39 TWh last year.
This rapid expansion has sparked criticism from several political factions, particularly the Rødt party, which is calling for national regulation and a temporary moratorium on new commercial data center developments.
Political pushback and fears of regional energy depletion
“If these companies are allowed to monopolize such enormous amounts of electricity, it will effectively vacuum the entire region of power,” said Member of Parliament Mímir Kristjánsson (Rødt) to Aftenbladet.
The statement reflects growing anxiety over the long-term sustainability of allowing big tech and cloud companies to dominate Norway’s renewable energy resources, especially as demand for green energy continues to rise in both domestic and industrial sectors.
A national balancing act ahead
The development underscores the delicate balance Norway must strike between being a global data infrastructure hub and maintaining its commitments to sustainable energy use and equitable resource distribution. As national debate intensifies, the government’s next moves could set a precedent for how Nordic countries manage the rising energy appetites of the digital age.
