SoftBank to invest up to €75 billion in French data centers
▼ Summary
– SoftBank plans to invest up to €75 billion ($87 billion) to expand data center capacity in France, its largest AI infrastructure investment in Europe.
– The goal is to develop up to 5 gigawatts of new capacity, with a first phase building data centers in Dunkirk, Bosquel, and Bouchain to deliver 3.1 gigawatts by 2031.
– French economic minister Roland Lescure said the announcement reflects President Macron’s ambition to position France as a leading destination in the AI value chain.
– In the US, opposition to data center construction is growing due to environmental concerns and impacts on the electrical grid and utility prices.
– SoftBank earlier announced plans to build a data center in Ohio, powered by a new 9.2 gigawatt natural gas plant.
SoftBank Group announced a major commitment to expand its European AI infrastructure, pledging up to €75 billion (roughly $87 billion) to build new data centers across France. The Japanese conglomerate intends to develop and operate an additional 5 gigawatts of data center capacity, with an initial push focused on three sites in the Hauts-de-France region.
The first phase of the plan targets locations in Dunkirk (Loon-Plage), Bosquel, and Bouchain, aiming to deliver 3.1 gigawatts of capacity by 2031. This investment marks SoftBank’s largest AI infrastructure deployment in Europe to date. The company, which is both an investor in and a customer of OpenAI, is positioning itself as a key player in the continent’s artificial intelligence buildout.
French economic minister Roland Lescure praised the announcement, calling it a “testament to President Emmanuel Macron’s ambition to position France as a leading destination all along the AI value chain.” The move underscores France’s aggressive push to attract high-tech investment and compete with other global hubs for data center development.
While Europe welcomes the expansion, data center construction faces growing opposition in the United States. Concerns over environmental impact, strain on the electrical grid, and rising utility prices have fueled resistance in several regions. Despite this, SoftBank continues to advance its U. S. footprint, having previously announced plans for a data center in Ohio powered by a new 9.2 gigawatt natural gas plant.
(Source: TechCrunch)
