atNorth

Recent news

• Apr 7, 2026

  Cold-Climate Data Centers: The Next Hot Thing in Data Center Growth

  This article outlines the case for cold-climate data centers and cites industry examples and a pitch by Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy.

  • Main point: The article describes how cold-climate data centers leverage naturally low ambient temperatures for free cooling, reducing energy and water use; it cites recent industry activity including Equinix and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board’s $4 billion acquisition of atNorth (atNorth operates eight data centers across Iceland, Denmark, Sweden, and Finland) and states there are nearly three dozen data centers in the Arctic.
  • Background and details: The piece lists operators (Google in Hamina, Verne Global in Iceland, Green Mountain in Norway, Northern Data) and highlights logistical constraints: distance from population centers, limited power and networking infrastructure, and access challenges; at Data Center World Power in Texas (last year) Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy pitched Alaska, claiming being “30 degrees cooler than Texas” could save a one-gigawatt plant upwards of $150 million a year in ancillary cooling costs.
• Mar 3, 2026

  New Data Center Developments: March 2026

  DataCenterKnowledge published a monthly roundup of global data center developments covering design, construction, power, and investment across North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Middle East & Africa.

  • Overview and key highlights: The roundup summarizes region-by-region developments including major deals and investment figures: S&P reported $69 billion+ in total deal value in 2025 with a $40 billion Aligned Data Centers acquisition; Google’s $15 billion America-India Connect initiative; Adani’s $100 billion AI infrastructure pledge targeting 5 GW by 2035; and a €176 billion (≈$208 billion) European investment forecast for 2026–2031. It also details project specifics such as Meta’s $10 billion, 1 GW Indiana campus and Microsoft’s 15 data centers proposal at the former Foxconn site with a taxable construction value over $13 billion.
  • Additional context and deal/implementation notes: The article lists announced partnerships, approvals, and timelines: Equinix & CPP bought atNorth for $4 billion (with a $4.2 billion financing package); Mistral AI & EcoDataCenter plan a $1.4 billion Sweden AI-focused facility launching in 2027; CyrusOne‘s FRA7 first facility topping out (~$1.2 billion regional investment); G42’s Framework Cooperation Agreement in Southeast Asia backed by consumption commitments up to $1 billion. It also reports regulatory actions (NRC/Atomic Safety and Licensing Board intervention on an SMR proposal) and lists concrete project locations and capacity targets (MW/GW) where given.
• Mar 2, 2026

  Land and Expand: Early 2026 Megaprojects Reflect a Power-First Ethos

  Data Center Frontier reports multiple developers advancing power-first, land-and-expand AI-ready data center campuses in early 2026.

  • Main announcement/action: Developers including Applied Digital (Delta Forge 1), Vantage (Lighthouse), AVAIO Digital (Little Rock), Rowan (Project Temple), Crow Holdings (Dallas) and Amazon (northwest Louisiana) are advancing large-scale projects that pair land banking with secured power and infrastructure commitments; examples include Applied Digital’s 430 MW Delta Forge 1 (two 150 MW facilities on 500+ acres, first operations targeted 2027) and Vantage’s $15B+ Lighthouse (four hyperscale data centers delivering nearly 902 MW IT load on ~672 acres, construction through 2028).
  • Background and details: Projects feature explicit infrastructure co-investments and timelines: Amazon’s $12 billion Louisiana buildout includes up to $400 million for regional water improvements and 100% developer-funded electric infrastructure; AVAIO’s $6 billion Little Rock hub has a 150 MW Entergy Arkansas commitment with potential to scale toward 1 GW, and Rowan’s Project Temple (300 MW, ~700 acres) targets initial operations in 2027 with ~$700 million local investment and unanimous local approvals.
• Feb 27, 2026

  Policy Shock: Big Tech Told to Power Its Own AI Buildout

  The White House is advancing a ‘ratepayer protection’ framework aimed at ensuring large AI data center projects do not shift grid upgrade costs onto residential customers.

  • Main action: The White House is pushing a ratepayer protection approach that would encourage/require large AI and hyperscale developers to demonstrate energy self-sufficiency or provide dedicated power solutions (e.g., behind-the-meter generation) when seeking large-load approvals; the article cites signals that formal guidance or rulemaking and possible state-level measures could follow in the near term.
  • Context and details: The article reports market movement (about one-third of new U.S. projects evaluating private/on-site power), technical choices include natural gas turbines, fuel cells, hybrid microgrids, and renewables, capacity scales of hundreds of megawatts to gigawatt levels are discussed, and a cited Nordic deal (Equinix/atNorth) reports roughly 1 gigawatt of secured power capacity and further expansion plans; potential near-term indicators include utility tariff changes, hyperscaler commitments, and federal guidance.
• Feb 27, 2026 · IT Brief Asia

  CPP & Equinix buy Nordic data centre group atNorth

  Partners Group has agreed to sell pan-Nordic data centre operator atNorth to a buyer group comprising CPP Investments and Equinix for an enterprise value of USD $4 billion.

  • Main announcement: Partners Group will sell atNorth to CPP Investments and Equinix at an enterprise value of USD $4 billion; Partners Group will reinvest up to 10% in the company as part of the transaction. The deal covers atNorth’s platform that operates eight data centres with additional development sites across Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, and is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.
  • Background and deal context: During Partners Group ownership (acquired in 2022) atNorth grew its workforce by >200 people, increased contracted EBITDA 14-fold over four years, and secured 1 GW of power with additional capacity in planning. Partners Group has invested around USD $5 billion in data centres and its infrastructure business manages USD $36 billion in assets globally. Ownership split and financing structure were not disclosed.
• Feb 27, 2026

  Equinix, CPP Investments Confirm $4B Purchase of atNorth

  Equinix and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments) have announced the acquisition of Iceland-based atNorth from Partners Group for $4 billion.

  • Deal terms and financing: The parties agreed that CPP Investments will hold a 60% controlling interest and Equinix will own 40%. The transaction includes a $4.2 billion financing package underwritten by European and Canadian lenders. The deal was confirmed on February 27 and is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals.
  • Business and operational details: atNorth is Iceland-based with a portfolio of 8 data centers in operation and several sites under development across Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden; the company has 1 GW of secured power and additional future capacity planned, and emphasizes renewable energy sourcing, natural cooling, heat reuse initiatives, and modular design to improve sustainability and efficiency.
• Feb 24, 2026

  How Data Centers Are Transforming Waste Heat Into Efficiency Gains

  atNorth has announced integration of its DEN01 data center with Vestforbrænding’s district heating to supply waste heat to local homes and businesses.

  • Main announcement: atNorth’s DEN01 will provide 22.5 MW of capacity using direct liquid cooling (DLC), target a PUE < 1.2, and will feed excess warm-water (DLC byproduct) via a heat pump installed and operated by Vestforbrændingen / Vestforbrænding to heat over 8,000 homes; atNorth also has sites under construction in Kouvola (Finland) and Ølgod (Denmark) and land secured for a 200-500 MW campus in Sweden.
  • Background and other details: MSOE’s Rosie uses two Nvidia DGX H100s and integrates waste heat into building HVAC; the National Laboratory of the Rockies’ ESIF pairs a 10 MW supercomputer with warm-water liquid cooling to achieve PUE 1.04 and SmithGroup-designed EMAPS can use up to 3 MW of waste heat; suppliers/technologies mentioned include heat pumps, thermal energy storage (Novacab 5 by TESS Energy Solutions / SPCMs) and ongoing pilot implementations.
• Feb 24, 2026

  How Data Centers Are Transforming Waste Heat Into Efficiency Gains

  atNorth is tying its DEN01 data center near Copenhagen into Vestforbrænding’s district heating network to supply waste heat to local homes and businesses.

  • Main announcement/action: atNorth’s DEN01 will provide 22.5 MW of capacity using direct liquid cooling (DLC), target a PUE < 1.2, and is being integrated with Vestforbrænding (Denmark’s largest waste-to-energy company) via a heat pump solution installed and operated by Vestforbrændingen to heat over 8,000 homes; atNorth also has two sites under construction (Kouvola, Finland; Ølgod, Denmark) and land secured for a 200-500 MW campus in Sweden.

  • Background and technical details: Gary Hilberg (Continuum Energy) notes typical data center waste heat is ~100°F (38°C) versus district heating needs near 150°F (66°C); SmithGroup/Brian Renner describe MSOE’s Rosie supercomputer integration (building 65,000 sq.ft, 1,500 sq.ft data center, two Nvidia DGX H100s, consuming >60% of facility energy); NLR’s ESIF (180,000 sq.ft) matches a 10 MW supercomputer and achieved PUE 1.04, with the adjacent EMAPS building able to use up to 3 MW of ESIF waste heat. The article also describes thermal storage pilot technology Novacab 5 (TESS Energy Solutions) using Synthetic Phase Change Materials and notes heat-pump approaches could enable supply temperatures 140–180°F (60–82°C) depending on equipment.