The Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE) warns that Norway could face a power deficit and 35-55 percent higher prices by 2035 if data centre growth continues without new power production, according to VG and Aftenposten.
NVE said data centres and climate measures are pushing up electricity use while little new power is being built. Norway normally has an annual power surplus of around 15 terawatt-hours (TWh), out of total production of around 160 TWh.
Data centres currently use about 3 TWh a year. Around half of reserved grid capacity is set aside for data centres, and centres that have been allocated grid capacity can alone use 25 TWh in 2035, according to NVE.
“If today's strong data centre growth continues, Norway could face the fastest growth in power consumption in modern times,” Kjetil Lund, director of NVE, said. “With such an increase in consumption without more power production, Norway will in a few years have a power deficit also in normal years.”
One NVE scenario gives Norway a power balance of minus four TWh in 2035. Norway risks becoming a net importer of power in 2035 if consumption rises without new onshore or offshore wind, NVE says. Prices in 2035 could be 35 to 55 percent higher than NVE's earlier estimates, according to the agency.
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