Polar adds 40MW AI-ready expansion at Norway data center campus

Polar Data Centers has announced DRA02, a 40MW AI-ready facility at its Drangedal campus in Norway, expanding the company’s footprint for hyperscale, cloud and AI customers. The project underscores rising demand for high-density, sustainable infrastructure built for next-generation compute.

Why it matters: - DRA02 expands Polar Data Centers’ capacity for AI, cloud and high-performance computing at a time when demand for purpose-built infrastructure is climbing. - The project adds more room for customers that need higher power density, advanced cooling and resilient systems for modern AI workloads. - The Drangedal campus is positioned as one of Europe’s more advanced environments for large-scale compute once the expansion is complete.

What happened: - Polar Data Centers announced DRA02, a new 40MW AI-ready data center at its flagship campus in Drangedal, Norway. - The announcement came on July 23, 2026. - DRA02 is the next phase of Polar’s long-term strategy to build AI infrastructure across Europe. - The expansion builds on DRA01, the existing facility at the same campus.

The details: - DRA02 will deliver approximately 40MW of IT capacity. - The facility will span more than 21,300 square metres of technical space. - Direct liquid cooling is part of the design. - The site is engineered to support the latest GPU technologies and chipsets. - The critical infrastructure and customer space are designed for current and future generations of AI hardware. - The campus is powered by renewable Norwegian hydroelectric energy. - Polar says the site is designed to support customer environmental goals while maintaining high efficiency. - Norway’s renewable power, stable grid infrastructure and cool climate make the campus suitable for large-scale AI and cloud deployments. - Polar describes the expansion as customer-led, with facilities shaped around current and future technology requirements.

Between the lines: - Polar is signaling that AI data centers are becoming a core growth market, not just an adjacent product line. - The emphasis on renewable energy and operational efficiency suggests Polar is competing on both performance and sustainability. - The location in Norway gives Polar a structural advantage for power availability and cooling, which matters more as AI workloads grow heavier. - CEO Andy Hayes framed the expansion as a response to changing infrastructure demands and a way to help customers scale with confidence.

What's next: - Construction of DRA02 is underway as part of Polar’s wider European growth strategy. - Once complete, the expanded Drangedal campus is expected to serve AI, cloud and high-performance computing customers with greater scale and flexibility. - Polar is likely to keep leaning on customer demand and renewable-powered infrastructure as it expands across Europe.

The bottom line: - Polar is doubling down on Norway as a hub for AI-ready infrastructure, using renewable power and high-density engineering to meet growing compute demand.