Nordic data center operator atNorth has announced plans to build a new high-density data center in Stockholm, expanding its regional footprint as demand for sustainable digital infrastructure accelerates across Europe. The project, revealed this week in Stockholm, will bring atNorth’s total number of Nordic data centers to eleven and reflects growing enterprise and hyperscale requirements for energy-efficient, resilient colocation capacity.
The new facility, named SWE02, will be a 30-megawatt metro data center located near atNorth’s existing Swedish campus, SWE01, which became operational in March 2022. The site will be developed in the Kista area, a well-established technology hub in the Swedish capital, and is scheduled to go live in the fourth quarter of 2027. The expansion comes as data-intensive workloads driven by AI, cloud computing, and high-performance computing continue to push operators to scale capacity closer to major population and business centers.
SWE02 is designed to operate as part of a clustered data center campus model alongside SWE01, enabling customers to distribute workloads across two nearby facilities while maintaining strong redundancy and resilience. According to atNorth, this configuration allows enterprises to separate critical systems without sacrificing low-latency connectivity, a growing priority for financial services, AI-driven applications, and latency-sensitive enterprise platforms.
Heat Reuse Capabilities
A defining feature of the new site will be its heat reuse capabilities. Excess heat generated by the data center will be recovered and recycled into Stockholm’s district heating network through a collaboration with Stockholm Exergi. The initiative aligns with Sweden’s broader circular economy goals and reflects a growing trend among Nordic data center operators to integrate infrastructure with municipal energy systems. Similar models have increasingly been adopted across the region as cities seek to balance digital growth with climate targets.
Local authorities have welcomed the development, citing both environmental and economic benefits. Stockholm’s city leadership highlighted the role of energy-efficient data centers in supporting the city’s climate strategy, while also pointing to job creation during construction and operations. The project is expected to contribute to Stockholm’s positioning as a leading European hub for digital infrastructure.
The expansion will also drive improvements to local power infrastructure. Network operator Ellevio will construct a new electrical substation to support the SWE02 campus, strengthening grid resilience for the surrounding area. atNorth and Ellevio have emphasized the importance of electrification and fossil-free energy in meeting the rising power demands of modern IT environments without compromising sustainability goals.
atNorth’s Stockholm announcement follows a series of recent moves across the Nordic region. The company has disclosed expansions of two data center campuses in Iceland and secured land in Sollefteå, Sweden, for a future large-scale facility. Beyond Sweden, atNorth has entered a heat reuse agreement with Denmark’s largest waste-to-energy company, Vesforbrænding, and announced colocation and technology partnerships with Nokia, Crusoe, and 6G AI Sweden AB. Together, these initiatives signal a broader strategy focused on high-performance computing, energy efficiency, and long-term community integration.
As enterprises reassess their infrastructure strategies amid rising energy costs and regulatory scrutiny, operators that can combine scale, sustainability, and technical sophistication are increasingly gaining attention. atNorth’s latest investment underscores how the Nordic region continues to position itself as a critical market for next-generation data center development.
Executive Insights FAQ
What is atNorth building in Stockholm?
A new 30MW high-density data center called SWE02, located near its existing SWE01 campus in the Kista area.
Why is heat reuse important for data centers?
It allows excess heat to be recycled into district heating networks, improving energy efficiency and reducing environmental impact.
When will the new data center become operational?
The SWE02 facility is scheduled to go live in Q4 2027.
How does this expansion affect local infrastructure?
It includes construction of a new electrical substation by Ellevio, improving grid resilience for the surrounding area.
What does this mean for enterprises using Nordic data centers?
It increases access to resilient, sustainable, and scalable colocation capacity close to major business hubs.
