SoftBank Group has unveiled a groundbreaking plan to invest up to €75 billion (approximately $87 billion) in expanding data center capacity in France.
The company aims to develop and manage up to 5 gigawatts of additional data center capacity. The initial phase of the project will involve constructing data centers in Dunkirk (Loon-Plage), Bosquel, and Bouchain, with the goal of providing 3.1 gigawatts of capacity to the Hauts-de-France region by 2031.
This significant investment marks SoftBank’s largest AI infrastructure commitment in Europe, as the company is both an investor in and consumer of OpenAI’s technology.
French Minister of the Economy, Roland Lescure, lauded the announcement as a testament to President Emmanuel Macron’s vision to position France as a key player in the AI industry.
In contrast, the United States is witnessing growing opposition to data center construction due to environmental concerns and questions about their impact on the electrical grid and utility prices. Despite these challenges, SoftBank has previously revealed plans to construct a data center in Ohio, powered by a new 9.2 gigawatt natural gas plant.
