Project Boreas: 800MW Nordic Hyperscale Campus
Status: Groundbroken / Under Construction | Location: Northern Sweden (Nordic Region)
Project Overview
Project Boreas is Europe's landmark digital infrastructure asset for the late 2020s, anchoring Meta’s next-generation global artificial intelligence backbone. Launched in June 2026 in Boden, Northern Sweden, the 800-megawatt (MW) hyperscale campus is strategically constructed just outside the traditional FLAP-D (Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam, Paris, Dublin) markets to bypass the severe power grid lockdowns choking Western Europe. By choosing a sub-Arctic location, the site takes direct advantage of ambient cold air for free cooling, alongside the region’s massive, underutilized structural grid capacity, allowing for the rapid expansion of dense cluster architectures without adding strain to domestic electrical utilities. Operational efficiency and circular engineering drive the technical design of the Boreas development. The facility runs entirely on 100% renewable energy sourced directly from local run-of-river hydroelectric stations along the Lule River. Rather than letting the thermal output from thousands of liquid-cooled GPU racks go to waste, Meta has integrated a large-scale heat recovery system into the facility. This system captures exhaust heat and channels it directly into the local municipal district heating network, providing clean warmth to thousands of residential homes and supporting agricultural greenhouse projects in Boden’s cold climate. Financed through an initial $3.6 billion capital deployment under Meta's expanded 2026 global infrastructure budget, Project Boreas features a highly advanced modular building scheme. The construction coordinates structural assembly lines off-site, shortening the standard multi-year timeline into manageable phases. The campus serves as a primary blueprint for zero-carbon, high-density AI infrastructure in Europe. By balancing heavy high-performance compute workloads with localized environmental solutions, the facility proves that the global scaling of advanced AI can be achieved in complete harmony with strict European sustainability goals.
Quick Facts
| Field | Value |
| Project Name | Project Boreas: 800MW Nordic Hyperscale Campus |
| Location | Northern Sweden (Nordic Region) |
| Status | Groundbroken / Under Construction |
| Commissioning | 2028 (Phase 1) |
| Total IT Load | 600 MW |
| Total Capacity | 800 MW (800 MW Integrated Hydro-Backed Substation) |
| Tier Level | Tier III Scalable Architecture |
| Project Type | Hyperscale AI Data Center with District Heat Export |
City Profile
| Header | Details |
| City Name | Boden |
| Population | 17,500 (2025 estimate) |
| Urban Agglomeration | Approximately 19,000 |
| City GDP | Approximately USD 2.2 billion (estimated based on regional economic output, defense, mining support, logistics, and emerging AI/data center investments) |
| Per Capita Income | Approximately USD 58,000 per year |
| City Tier | Tier 3 – Emerging Strategic Technology & Industrial Hub |
| Key Strengths | Abundant renewable hydroelectric power with low-carbon electricity |
Companies Involved
| Header | Details |
| Developer / Operator | Meta Platforms, Inc. |
| Strategic Infrastructure Partner | Vattenfall AB (Power supply) & Boden Energi (District heating integration) |
| Construction Contractor | NCC Nordic / Skanska Infrastructure Joint Venture |
| MEP Engineering | Sweco AB & Schneider Electric (Medium-voltage switchgear & distribution) |
| Network Connectivity | Multiple diverse subsea and terrestrial fiber loops running directly through Stockholm to continental European hubs |
| Power Infrastructure | Direct connection to Vattenfall’s 400kV high-voltage transmission lines backed by 100% regional hydroelectric generation |
Technical Specifications
| Header | Details |
| Power Capacity | 800 MW dedicated capacity |
| UPS Redundancy | Distributed Redundant (N+1) using solid-state flywheel energy storage systems |
| Cooling System | Direct evaporative free-air cooling paired with direct-to-chip liquid cooling for AI server blocks |
| Connectivity | Ultra-low latency, carrier-neutral dark fiber backbone |
| PUE Target | < 1.10 |
| Energy Mix | 100% Hydroelectric power with localized district heat export infrastructure |
Milestones
| Header | Details |
| Announcement | June 15, 2026 |
| Construction Start | Q3 2026 |
| Phase 1 Go-Live | Q2 2028 |
| Full Buildout | 2031 |
Investment Details
| Header | Details |
| Total Investment | $3.6 Billion USD (Phase 1 and Phase 2 allocation) |
| Funding | 100% Corporate Capital (Meta Platforms, Inc.) |