On 4 November, Notodden municipal council adopted the planning programme for the revision of the land-use element of the municipal master plan 2026–2038. The council decided that the proposal for a data centre at Svelgfoss will be carried forward to an impact assessment as part of the planning work. The proposed revised land-use plan is scheduled to be ready for first consideration in April 2027.The need for secure storage, processing and distribution of data is growing, and the public sector, emergency preparedness services and businesses are seeking access to secure digital infrastructure that is in Norway, Norwegian-owned and subject to Norwegian law. The letter of intent between Tinfos and Skygard combines local roots and expertise in power with extensive experience in establishing and operating data centres in Norway.– Notodden has a proud industrial history and has turned hydropower into jobs for more than 100 years. We are now assessing how a secure, Norwegian data centre could become a new chapter in that history. We are early in the process and are currently evaluating different sites. Together with the municipality and its residents, we look forward to further exploring whether and how we can pave the way for a new data centre in the municipality, says Trond Johannessen, CEO of Skygard.Any establishment is subject to the necessary planning clarifications and permits, access to grid capacity, and investment decision. The municipality's work on the planning programme sets out the framework for further assessment of land use. Residents will have ample opportunity to make their views known through the planning process.
Deep industrial roots
Notodden and Tinfos have deep industrial roots. Tinfos supplied the power that enabled Birkeland and Eyde to prove the electric arc process at Notodden, laying the foundation for the establishment of Hydro and later Yara. The Notodden community is built on the combination of clean power and industrial development.– Tinfos has been part of Notodden for more than 130 years, and we are committed to ensuring that the power and expertise here create value locally. Notodden has a significant power surplus that is currently shared with the rest of the country. We believe it is now Notodden's turn once again to draw on the benefits of having large-scale power production in the municipality. Skygard is a serious, long-term player with Norwegian owners, and we look forward to exploring the opportunities together, says Øyvind Frydenberg, CEO of Tinfos.Assessment and local benefits
Svelgfoss has been proposed in the revision of the land-use element of the municipal master plan and is among the proposals that will undergo an impact assessment. The assessment will consider nature, landscape, cultural heritage, power and grid, among other things, before the municipality decides. Affected landowners, including Hydro, have so far been positive about considering the project.A data centre requires significant land and power. It is therefore only natural that an establishment should also generate positive local spin-off effects. A development would bring substantial activity during the construction phase and permanent jobs once a facility is in operation, including electricians, automation technicians, IT staff and security personnel, as well as contracts for local suppliers. Skygard will draw on local and regional resources wherever possible. Specific figures will be provided once the project is more clearly defined. As part of the further work, Skygard and Tinfos will also explore how surplus heat from a data centre can be used locally. Surplus heat from Skygard's new data centre in Hovinbyen in Oslo will heat more than 12,000 homes.Press contactsSkygard
Cathrine Thaning
Head of Marketing & Comms
cathrine.thaning@skygard.no
+4741681740Tinfos
Harald Reigstad
Director of Business Development
harald.reigstad@tinfos.no
+47 928 93 681About Skygard: Skygard is an independent Norwegian data centre company providing secure and sustainable IT infrastructure to the public sector and businesses. The company operates three data centres in the Oslo region – in Hovinbyen, Grorud and Lørenskog – powered by 100% renewable energy, and is owned by Telenor, Hafslund and HitecVision. Norwegian ownership gives customers control over their own data, subject to Norwegian law. Surplus heat from the data centre in Hovinbyen will heat more than 12,000 homes in Oslo. Skygard is growing and is exploring new sites outside the Oslo region, including in Eidfjord and Notodden. For more information, visit skygard.no.About Tinfos: Tinfos is headquartered in Notodden and is one of Norway's oldest companies still in operation. The company was founded 132 years ago and remains majority-owned by the Holta family. Tinfos was among the first in the world to generate electricity from hydropower. Today, Tinfos operates the Tinfos 1 and 2 power plants in Notodden, and develops, builds and operates small and medium-sized hydropower plants in Norway and Indonesia.
