Workflow to Google

Google is investing 6.8 billion in a massive data center to be built at Gromstul in Skien. The tech giant has applied for access to power equal to around five percent of the country’s total electricity consumption.

Transformers

— Our delivery includes six substations with 1250 kVA transformers, plus an insulated housing with switchgear and metering cell placed at the connection point to Lede’s supply grid. Our customer is the local contractor Laugstol AS, says Sales and Marketing Manager at Møre Trafo, Ivar Lifjeld.

Between Five and Ten Years

In 2019, Google secured a 2,000-decare site at Gromstul. In February this year, the IT giant announced that the project will go ahead. The facility is scheduled to be operational in 2026, and the construction period is estimated at between five and ten years.

High Activity

“There is currently a lot of activity in the area around Gromstul. Lede is about to complete the Gromstul switching station, while work to build infrastructure up to the site is in full swing. Contractors are working on the plot to make the data center site ready for construction,” says Lifjeld.

Hundreds of Millions

The landowner Leopold Løvenskiold sold the plot to Google. He will not reveal the sale price to E24, other than saying it is in the “hundreds of millions”. Løvenskiold is based at the venerable Fossum Hovedgård, not far from where Google is now setting up its data center.

Løvenskiold-Fossum owns and manages 330,000 decares of forest land. Herman Løvenskiold bought the estate in 1739, and the family has owned it ever since. The current owner and operator, Leopold Løvenskiold, has developed the company, including building several power plants, developing cabin areas, and facilitating hunting and outdoor activities for the public. Løvenskiold-Fossum also makes it possible for other companies to establish themselves next to Google, and invests significant sums in the infrastructure around the Google site.

4000 jobs

Google estimates that around 4,000 jobs will be created during the construction phase. Around 100 jobs will be directly linked to the data center, according to Google Norway CEO Tine Austvoll Jensen, who promised that Google will do its part to make this a positive contribution to the region.

Gigantic Power Consumption

The decision to build sparked celebration in the town hall, but far from everyone is cheering the move. Some believe the gigantic power consumption threatens nature and the environment, and others fear even higher electricity prices.