ARTICLE · 06 OCTOBER 2026
Securing The Necessary Grid Capacity
Securing grid capacity is a critical legal and operational challenge for data centre developers in Norway. This article examines the evolving regulatory framework governing how grid companies allocate capacity, the stringent maturity requirements projects must meet to secure and maintain their position in capacity queues, and the strategic implications of Norway's shift from a "first come, first served" to a "first mature project come, first served" principle.
NorwayEnergy and Natural Resources
In this article, we turn to a question that is often decisive for whether a data centre project can be realised at all: how does a data centre operator secure the necessary grid capacity, and if placed in a capacity queue, what does it take to maintain and progress your place?
Securing sufficient grid capacity is a legal precondition for establishing a data centre. Under Section 3-4 of the Energy Act, grid companies holding an installation license are, upon request, obliged to connect new customers, or to accommodate increased consumption by existing customers. Under section 3-3, a grid company holding an area license is obliged to invest in new grid infrastructure to connect new grid customers or to allow an increased power consumption. Grid capacity may therefore, as a general rule, be allocated to everyone.
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