IN Brief:
- Statnett reports 800MW of connected data-centre demand, 4.2GW of reserved capacity, and 9.1GW in the capacity queue.
- New connection reservations and certain technical approval procedures are suspended while additional system requirements are developed.
- Existing connections and installations with completed functional approvals are not subject to a general connection ban.
Statnett has temporarily suspended new electricity network capacity reservations for data centres in Norway, alongside specified technical approval procedures for large electricity consumers. The transmission system operator introduced the restrictions on 9 November 2026 while developing additional requirements intended to safeguard power system stability as demand from data centres increases.
The measures cover new connection reservations and new applications for approval of installation functionality under Section 14 of Norway’s system operation regulations. Statnett has also suspended processing of previously received technical approval applications involving direct connections to the 420kV transmission network. The restrictions are expected to be removed no later than 1 August 2027.
The decision follows a sharp increase in proposed data-centre connections. Statnett reports approximately 800MW of data-centre load already connected to Norway’s electricity network, with another 4,200MW holding capacity reservations. Applications representing 9,100MW are waiting for capacity allocation, while further connection enquiries amount to approximately 18,000MW.
These figures describe different stages of development and cannot be combined into a forecast of simultaneous electricity consumption. Existing connections represent operating installations, reservations establish a position within the connection process, and projects in the queue or enquiry stage may not proceed as originally proposed. Nevertheless, the scale of the pipeline is substantial when compared with Norway’s historical maximum electricity demand of slightly more than 25,000MW.
Statnett has identified the electrical behaviour of data centres, rather than their demand for capacity alone, as the reason for introducing the temporary measures. Large computing facilities can exhibit rapid changes in electrical consumption, including variations associated with software-controlled workloads. Their connected equipment may also respond differently from conventional industrial loads when the electricity system experiences disturbances.
Rapid changes in consumption affect the balance between electricity generation and demand. A large load increasing its consumption over a short period requires the system to accommodate that change through generation, balancing resources, or other adjustments. Conversely, a sudden reduction in demand can create a temporary surplus that must also be managed.
The rate at which a facility changes its electrical consumption is therefore relevant to system operation. Statnett intends to develop requirements governing load ramping, including how rapidly data-centre demand may increase or decrease. The permitted rates and associated operating conditions have not yet been finalised.
Another concern is how installations behave during voltage and frequency disturbances. Equipment designed to protect sensitive computing systems may disconnect or alter its electrical consumption when supply conditions move outside specified limits. If multiple large facilities respond simultaneously, the resulting change in demand could complicate the operation of the wider power system.
Statnett is considering requirements defining the circumstances in which data centres must remain connected during disturbances. It also intends to address technical characteristics that could contribute to electrical oscillations. Such oscillations involve changes in electrical quantities that may persist or interact with network equipment and control systems, making their prevention an important consideration when integrating large loads.
The requirements remain under development. Statnett will consult relevant authorities and examine approaches being introduced by other Nordic transmission system operators and the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity. Norway’s energy regulator, RME, must approve the necessary functional requirements, while arrangements for monitoring compliance will also need to be established.
Existing connection rights are treated separately from new applications. Data centres that already have the necessary functional approvals may continue towards connection, and operational facilities are not affected by the suspension. Statnett will also continue processing certain previously submitted applications for regional-network installations approaching commissioning.
Applications involving smaller facilities scheduled for connection before August 2027 may be assessed individually. These exceptions mean that the restrictions are not a universal prohibition on new data-centre connections, although they introduce a significant obstacle for affected developments that have not completed the relevant reservation or approval procedures.
Capacity reservations and technical functionality approvals address different aspects of the connection process. A reservation concerns the availability of network capacity for a proposed installation, while functional approval examines whether equipment can operate acceptably within the electricity system. A project may require both before progressing to normal operation.
Statnett also intends to protect the existing order of capacity applications. Available network capacity will not automatically be allocated to other customers where doing so would disadvantage data-centre developments already ahead of them in the connection queue. The operator says the temporary measures will be implemented on a neutral and non-discriminatory basis.
The decision creates an additional development constraint alongside the conventional engineering work required to connect a large electrical installation. Developers must establish suitable connection capacity, agree their technical interface with the network, and demonstrate that protection and control arrangements satisfy the system operator’s requirements. The proposed additional rules will introduce more explicit consideration of load behaviour under changing operating conditions.
Large data centres may also contain electrical equipment capable of supporting controlled changes in consumption. Statnett considers that some facilities could eventually contribute to power system balancing, although participation would require appropriate technical capabilities, commercial arrangements, and operating requirements. The operator has not presented this potential as an immediately available balancing resource.
The temporary suspension is intended to provide sufficient time to establish the technical and regulatory framework before the connection pipeline expands further. Statnett will consult customers, network companies, and other stakeholders while the requirements are developed. The restrictions are expected to remain until the necessary rules have been established and approved, with 1 August 2027 identified as the latest anticipated date for their removal.
