SoftBank Group announced today which plans to spend up to 75 billion euros (about $87 billion) to expand data center capacity in France.
The goal, the company said, is to develop and operate up to 5 gigawatts of additional data center capacity. The first phase of the plan involves the construction of data centers in Dunkirk (Loon-Plage), Bosquel and Bouchain to deliver 3.1 gigawatts of capacity to the Hauts-de-France region by 2031.
SoftBank, which is both investor and customer of OpenAIsays this will be its largest investment in AI infrastructure in Europe.
In a statement, French Economy Minister Roland Lescure described the announcement as a “testament to President Emmanuel Macron’s ambition to position France as a leading destination across the entire AI value chain.”
In the United States, Opposition to building data centers is intensifying. about environmental concerns, as well as questions about how data centers affect the electric grid and utility prices. However, SoftBank previously announced plans to build a data center in Ohio. powered by a new 9.2 gigawatt natural gas plant.
