Polar adds 40MW AI-ready data center in Norway

Polar Data Centers announced DRA02, a 40MW AI-ready facility at its Drangedal campus in Norway, as demand grows for infrastructure that can handle high-density AI and cloud workloads. The expansion builds on DRA01 and is designed to support liquid cooling, renewable power and future GPU generations.

Why it matters: - DRA02 adds more AI-ready capacity to Polar Data Centers’ flagship campus in Drangedal, Norway, at a time when hyperscale, cloud and AI customers need more power-dense infrastructure. - The expansion is part of Polar’s broader European growth plan and is meant to support current and next-generation AI and high-performance computing workloads. - The campus is designed around renewable power and high efficiency, which matters for customers trying to scale compute while managing energy and sustainability goals.

What happened: - Polar Data Centers announced DRA02, a new 40MW AI-ready data center at its Drangedal campus in Norway. - The company said the project is the next phase of its long-term strategy to build AI infrastructure across Europe. - DRA02 follows DRA01, the award-winning facility already operating at the same campus. - The new facility is being built adjacent to DRA01.

The details: - DRA02 will provide approximately 40MW of IT capacity. - The facility will include more than 21,300 square metres of technical space. - The design includes direct liquid cooling. - The campus has been engineered to support the latest GPU technologies and chipsets. - Polar said both the critical infrastructure and customer space are built to support current and future generations of AI hardware. - The facility will run on renewable Norwegian hydroelectric energy. - Norway’s renewable power supply, stable grid and favorable climate make the location suitable for large-scale AI and cloud deployments.

Between the lines: - Polar is leaning into customer-led planning, designing facilities around the needs of hyperscale, cloud and AI buyers rather than generic colocation demand. - The emphasis on liquid cooling and GPU readiness signals a bet that AI infrastructure needs will keep shifting toward higher-density, more specialized deployments. - The company’s message pairs performance with sustainability, which is increasingly the competitive standard in data center development.

What's next: - Construction of DRA02 is now part of Polar’s wider European buildout. - Once complete, the expanded Drangedal campus is expected to offer one of Europe’s most advanced environments for AI, cloud and high-performance computing workloads. - Polar said the campus will continue to scale with customer requirements over the lifecycle of demanding AI environments.

The bottom line: - Polar is expanding its Norwegian campus into a larger AI infrastructure hub, betting that renewable power, advanced cooling and scalable design will keep it competitive as demand for compute rises.