SoftBank Group announced today It plans to spend up to 75 billion euros (about $87 billion) to expand data center capacity in France.
The goal is to develop and operate up to 5 gigawatts of additional data center capacity, the firm said. The first phase of the plan involves building data centers in Dunkirk (Loon-Plage), Bosquel and Bouchain to bring 3.1 gigawatts of power to the Hauts-de-France region by 2031.
SoftBank, that is Both an investor and a customer of OpenAIsays it will be its largest AI infrastructure investment in Europe.
In a statement, French Economy Minister Roland Lescure called the announcement “proof of President Emmanuel Macron’s ambition to position France as a leader along the AI value chain.”
in the usa Opposition to data center construction is heating up environmental concerns, as well as questions about how data centers affect power grid and utility rates. However, SoftBank has previously announced plans to build a data center in Ohio. equipped with a new 9.2 gigawatt natural gas plant.
