Polar announces 40MW AI-ready expansion at Norway data centre campus

Polar Data Centers has announced plans to expand its flagship Drangedal campus in Norway with a new 40MW AI-ready data centre.

Known as DRA02, the facility will be built alongside the existing DRA01 site and will provide more than 21,300 square metres of technical space. It has been designed for hyperscale, cloud, AI and high-performance computing customers, with direct liquid cooling and infrastructure engineered for high-density GPU technologies.

The project adds dedicated AI-ready capacity to an existing operational campus, where power, cooling, and site expertise are already in place.

Polar Adds a Second Phase at Drangedal

DRA02 represents the next stage in the development of Polar’s Norwegian campus and forms part of the company’s wider European growth strategy.

Located adjacent to the existing DRA01 facility, the expansion is intended to meet demand from hyperscale, cloud and AI customers for scalable, high-density compute infrastructure.

The new facility will deliver approximately 40MW of IT capacity, with customer space and critical infrastructure designed around AI and HPC workloads.

AI Capacity is Added Through Campus Expansion

The DRA02 announcement demonstrates how operators are adding AI-ready capacity through phased development of existing campuses.

Recent months have seen several large AI infrastructure announcements across Europe, including new multi-phase campus developments. Polar’s project follows a more targeted model, adding a defined phase to an operational site.

That allows the company to build on existing infrastructure and operational experience while introducing capacity designed for higher-density workloads.

For customers, campus expansion can offer a clearer path to new capacity where site fundamentals have already been established.

Cooling and Power Shape the Design

DRA02 has been designed around the requirements of high-density computing.

Polar DC said the facility incorporates direct liquid cooling and has been engineered to accommodate the latest GPU technologies and chipsets.

The campus will be supplied by renewable Norwegian hydroelectric energy, while Norway’s electricity grid and cooler climate continue to support the country’s role in energy-intensive AI and cloud infrastructure.

“AI is fundamentally changing infrastructure requirements, and customers need partners that can deliver capacity purpose-built for tomorrow’s workloads,” said Andy Hayes, CEO at Polar Data Centers.

He added that the project combines “renewable energy, advanced engineering and operational excellence” to create infrastructure that enables customers “to scale with confidence.”

Norway Adds to Europe’s AI Infrastructure Pipeline

The expansion adds another AI-ready project to Europe’s data centre pipeline.

While larger AI campus developments have attracted significant attention, DRA02 shows that meaningful capacity is also being added through incremental expansion of existing sites.

For operators, that model offers a practical route to scaling AI infrastructure by combining renewable power, advanced cooling, and operational continuity within established campuses.

As AI and HPC demand grows, phased campus expansion is likely to remain an important part of Europe’s high-density infrastructure market.