Summary
- Skanska and Bitzero have signed a project development agreement for a proposed campus of up to 110MW at Tunnsjødal, Norway.
- The replacement scheme envisages two to four buildings, with Vertiv supporting technical development alongside Skanska.
- Initial civil works are complete, but construction contracting, grid readiness and the proposed computing deployment remain subject to further milestones.
Skanska Norge has signed a project development agreement with Bitzero for a proposed 110MW data centre campus at Tunnsjødal in Namsskogan, Norway, bringing the contractor into the engineering and procurement planning for an expansion already undergoing preparatory works.
The agreement covers project development and the preparation of a construction delivery plan. Once that work has advanced, the companies intend to negotiate a separate contract for building the facility, meaning the latest agreement is not itself a final construction award.
Bitzero proposes to replace its existing container-based arrangement, described as a 40MW installation, with two to four permanent data centre buildings. The planned campus would support up to 110MW, although the companies have not specified whether that figure represents gross facility power, IT load or another defined capacity measure.
Technology supplier Vertiv is working alongside Skanska and Bitzero on the development. The companies envisage a coordinated delivery programme covering engineering, procurement and systems integration, with final contractual responsibilities still to be determined.
Financial terms for Skanska’s development work have not been disclosed. Neither company has announced a final construction contract value or an agreed timetable for completing the new buildings.
Power infrastructure is already under development
Bitzero says initial civil works have been completed at the Norwegian site and that major electrical equipment ordered earlier is expected to arrive shortly. Its September operational update identified foundations for two 60MVA transformers and the planned arrival of high-voltage cabling during the fourth quarter of 2026.
These activities belong to the site’s existing power expansion programme rather than a construction contract newly awarded to Skanska. Bringing the contractor into the development process could help coordinate the planned buildings with electrical infrastructure whose procurement and civil preparation have already begun.
The two transformers form part of the intended electrical supply arrangements, but their 60MVA individual ratings cannot simply be added together and reported as 120MW of operating computing capacity. Transformer ratings are expressed in apparent power, while usable active power and the reliability of the supply depend on the electrical design and operating conditions.
Bitzero previously targeted power readiness for 110MW during 2026. Its September update separately indicated that capacity intended for tenants could become ready for service between the fourth quarter of 2027 and the first quarter of 2028.
The difference reflects separate delivery milestones. Completing electrical infrastructure or securing a suitable power connection does not mean that the proposed buildings, cooling systems, network installations and computing equipment have all been commissioned.
The company has not confirmed that the full 110MW expansion was energised by 20 October. Bitzero’s latest statement also leaves financing, regulatory approvals and the final delivery programme among the conditions affecting its forward plans.
Permanent buildings require coordinated technical designs
Skanska will contribute expertise in design, planning and procurement to the proposed campus. Early contractor involvement allows construction methods, plant locations and installation sequences to be considered while the developer and technical suppliers are still defining the scheme.
The planned two to four buildings will need arrangements for electrical distribution, cooling, networking, equipment movement and maintenance. Their configuration must also reflect the intended tenant requirements, because different computing systems can impose substantially different rack power densities and cooling loads.
Vertiv’s participation provides access to specialist power and thermal infrastructure engineering. However, the companies have not identified the exact Vertiv products to be installed or disclosed a completed equipment schedule for the replacement buildings.
The development phase will also need to reconcile the buildings with the site’s incoming electrical infrastructure. Transformer positioning, switchgear connections, cable routes and the sequence in which buildings are energised can affect the construction programme.
Mechanical systems introduce further interfaces. Cooling equipment must be selected for the eventual computing loads, with sufficient plant space, distribution routes and maintenance access. The announcement does not disclose the proposed cooling technology, total heat rejection capacity or anticipated water consumption.
These decisions influence the physical design before construction starts. Equipment dimensions, lifting access, electrical clearances and the location of external plant all need to be accommodated without interfering with other infrastructure.
Skanska describes data centre construction as a strategic growth area in Norway and is developing a local specialist organisation drawing on its international experience. The group says it has delivered more than 250 data centre projects in the United States, with a combined contract value exceeding $7 billion.
That experience provides a basis for the contractor’s involvement, although it does not establish the cost, scope or completion date of Bitzero’s Norwegian development.
Tenant commitments remain conditional
Bitzero signed a binding letter agreement with OneQode in May concerning a proposed 15-year lease covering 110MW at the Namsskogan location. The developer has associated the proposed arrangement with approximately $2.6 billion of revenue over the potential lease term.
The figure is conditional on execution and performance of the intended lease, and it is not revenue already earned. Bitzero subsequently confirmed that a definitive agreement had not yet been signed, with technical specifications, due diligence and credit arrangements among the matters requiring completion.
Its September update indicated that major capital expenditure for tenant deployment would largely be financed at project level following lease execution. The company therefore distinguishes investment needed to advance the power infrastructure from later expenditure associated with completing the computing facility for its intended customer.
Skanska’s appointment adds construction expertise while those commercial arrangements progress. The 20 October agreement follows completed preliminary civil works and earlier electrical equipment procurement, but it does not remove the remaining requirements for funding, contractual agreement and technical delivery.
The next substantive milestones will be the arrival and integration of the major power equipment, confirmation of the site’s electrical readiness, and negotiation of the construction contract. Completion of those steps will determine how quickly Bitzero can move from an expanded power infrastructure project towards operational data centre buildings.
