Belgium (transmission grid)
Connection rule · 2025-09-05
active | Puts data centres in a separate grid-capacity category subject to a maximum allocation, with curtailable 'flexible' connections.
Data-centre requests are up ninefold since 2022, and capacity reserved for 2034 is more than double the 8 TWh in grid plans. No cap figure has been published. The minister says the 2028–2038 federal grid plan (expected May 2027) will address it.
mondaq.com, 2026-04-15
Sources conflict on status: A&O Shearman (Apr 2026) says it was already introduced as a short-term measure dated 5 Sep 2025, while Silicon UK (23 Oct 2025) says Elia was still 'considering' it. On 18 Sep 2026 VRT corrected its '8x' story: 8x is reserved capacity, and expected DC use is almost 8 TWh by 2034 (3.2 TWh today, about 4%). No Flanders, Wallonia or Brussels zoning restriction was found. |
Belgium
Connection rule · 2026-01-29
active | Tightens grid queue rules: binding deadlines, seriousness filters, use-it-or-lose-it, and limits on how long capacity can be reserved.
Described as a first step, with a possible move to 'first ready, first served'.
mondaq.com, 2026-04-15
Not data-centre-specific. The CREG decision text was not read. |
Denmark (national)
Grid pause · 2026-03-02
ongoing | No new grid connection agreements could be signed for projects without one; existing agreements are unaffected.
The queue is about 60 GW against peak demand of about 7 GW, with data centres about 14 GW of it. The pause lasts at least three months, until an overview and new capacity measures are in place.
ing.dk, 2026-03-05
2 Mar 2026 is the date of Energinet's release (announcement), linked from ing.dk. The 14 GW figure is from oenergetice.cz only; The Next Web (4 May 2026) gives no DC share. Current status is unclear: an aggregator snippet says it was extended to autumn (unchecked). |
Denmark (national)
Connection rule · 2026-10-12
active | Replaces first come, first served with four priority tiers, putting very large consumers such as data centres last; DC applications could be refused.
Adopted by the Folketing on 1 Oct 2026, in force 12 Oct 2026 (per the climate ministry, as reported). Replaces first come, first served with four priority categories; large data centres fall 'in principle' in category 4, the lowest, unless linked to critical societal functions. Applications can be refused if capacity is short.
bebeez.eu, 2026-10-07
Republished DatacenterDynamics report citing the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities; Folketing record not read. Bill introduced 20-21 Aug 2026 (Enerdata, https://www.enerdata.net/publications/daily-energy-news/denmark-introduces-emergency-law-reform-grid-access.html). |
Finland (national)
Tax · 2026-07-01
proposed | Data-centre electricity would pay the general electricity tax rate instead of the reduced industrial rate.
Government bill HE 156/2025 (submitted 23 Oct 2025) moves data centres from tax class II (0.05 c/kWh) to class I (2.24 c/kWh) from 1 Jul 2026; a replacement subsidy scheme was planned for autumn 2026.
valtioneuvosto.fi, 2025-10-23
Final parliamentary vote not confirmed in this check (Finlex not read); if enacted it applies from 1 Jul 2026. Rates as reported by Bloomberg Tax and the government. |
Brandenburg (around Berlin)
Germany
Grid pause · 2022
ongoing | No formal pause, but connection capacity falls far short of data-centre demand around Berlin.
The local grid operator has had 170 data-centre enquiries totalling 22 GW since 2022, and only two 100 MW centres are connected. Google cancelled Mittenwalde citing grid problems. Mitnetz: 90 requests for 16.8 GW, of which 9 projects (about 1.4 GW) were firmly reserved (end 2025).
cleanenergywire.org, 2025-07-25
Clean Energy Wire does not name the operator. Attribution to E.DIS (20–320 MW each; whole grid only 2,400 MW) is from a German-press search snippet (unchecked). Mitnetz figures are from ingenieur.de (8 Oct 2026). No formal E.DIS refusal of a data centre was found. |
Frankfurt am Main
Germany
Zoning cap · 2022-06-09
active | Limits colocation and cloud data centres to designated areas and excludes them from all other commercial zones.
Suitable areas are Sossenheim, Rödelheim, Griesheim, Gallus, Ostend, Fechenheim and Seckbach, plus 'restricted suitable' areas. Designated areas are meant to cover a 75 ha need by 2030.
dlapiper.com, 2022-07-25
unchecked: Dec 2024 development plan No. 946 that excluded Global Switch land (snippet of DCD only). |
Berlin
Germany
Connection rule · 2025
active | Rations connection capacity for large consumers (over 3.5 MVA, not only data centres) in allocation rounds.
2025 round: 70 requests for about 2,300 MVA against 365 MVA available. 37 got capacity and 10 eligible applicants got none. The second 2026 round is postponed; until 2024 requests were handled in order of receipt.
ingenieur.de, 2026-10-08
No Berlin planning restriction on data centres found; berlin.de only links to the allocation procedure. A search snippet gave about 2.8 GW of pending DC requests (unchecked). |
Germany (transmission grid)
Connection rule · 2026-04
active | Ranks scarce large-load connections by project maturity instead of filing date.
Introduced by the four German TSOs in April 2026. The federal data-centre strategy speaks of an application backlog ('Antragsstau').
ingenieur.de, 2026-10-08
Not data-centre-specific. TSO primary documents not read. |
Frankfurt am Main
Germany
Connection rule · 2026-10 → mid-2030s
active | Rations new grid connection capacity among applicants instead of first come, first served.
New capacity from 3.5 MW is allocated pro rata (from 1 MW in local bottleneck areas). NRM expects limits until the mid-2030s. Mainova and TenneT plan about 1,000 MW of extra supply.
ingenieur.de, 2026-10-08
Start date not stated in the source; the start shown is the month it was reported. |
Ireland (national)
Connection rule · 2025-12-12
active | New data-centre connections must bring their own dispatchable generation or storage and buy additional Irish renewable power.
At 10 MVA or more: dispatchable on-site or nearby generation and/or storage matching Maximum Import Capacity (MIC), taking part in the SEM. At 1–10 MVA: an autoproducer covering 100% of MIC on a de-rated basis. At 1 MVA or more: at least 80% of annual demand from additional renewable generation in the State, on a six-year glide path. Under 1 MVA: exempt.
cru.ie, 2025-12-12
The thresholds come from Arthur Cox (16 Dec 2025, arthurcox.com/knowledge/new-connection-policy-for-data-centres-in-ireland/). Despite its title, it applies only to data centres. Fossil fuels are allowed for the first six years (Irish Times, 28 Apr 2026). |
Ireland (constrained areas, incl. Dublin)
Connection rule · 2026-05-20
active | Ends any data-centre application found to sit in a constrained part of the grid.
An area counts as constrained if the project overloads any equipment by more than 1 MW, breaches voltage, frequency or stability standards, or exceeds short-circuit levels. 'If an application is determined to be in a constrained area then the application process will be terminated.'
eirgrid.ie, 2026-05-20
The PDF is revision R1 dated 20/05/2026. Philip Lee (search snippet) also gives 20 May 2026 for EirGrid's DCCOPP v3, which replaces DCCOPP v2 and the 21/124 criteria; the DCCOPP v3 document itself was not read. |
Haarlemmermeer
Netherlands
Zoning cap · 2020 → 2030
active | Caps new data-centre capacity and allows it only on four business parks.
Capped at 550 MVA to 2030 at Polanenpark, Schiphol-Rijk, Schiphol Trade Park and Corneliahoeve. No new space after 2030; sites above 80 MVA need their own 150 kV station; at least 75% of unbuilt area unpaved.
stibbe.com, 2021-08-26
The brief's 750 MW figure conflicts with Stibbe: a search snippet says 750 MVA was the 2020 proposal, while Stibbe gives 550 MVA as adopted. The adoption date was not verified; '2020' is approximate. |
Amsterdam
Netherlands
Zoning cap · 2020-12-17 → 2030
active | Caps data-centre growth and limits new sites to preferred clusters.
Allows at most 670 MVA of growth to 2030 (67 MVA a year), in Science Park, Amstel III-West, Port/Port City and part of Schinkelkwartier. Draft PUE below 1.2, mandatory residual-heat supply, and a 150 kV station above 80 MVA.
stibbe.com, 2021-08-26
GT Law (Mar 2024) describes a later draft umbrella zoning plan and a first revision, not yet in force. A DCByte snippet says that draft sets 350 MVA to 2030 (unchecked). |
Noord-Holland province
Netherlands
Zoning cap · 2021-07
proposed | Would allow large data centres (2,000 m² or more and 5 MVA or more) only on designated sites in Amsterdam, Haarlemmermeer, Diemen and Hollands Kroon.
Sites above 80 MVA would need their own TenneT-connected station. The 57 existing large data centres are largely unaffected.
stibbe.com, 2021-08-26
unchecked: whether and when it was adopted (final version expected end 2021). oenergetice.cz mentions a North Holland 'moratorium' with no date. |
Netherlands (national)
Zoning cap · 2024-01-01
active | Municipalities may not zone for new hyperscale data centres (over 10 ha with 70 MW or more) except at designated sites.
The exempt sites are Eemshaven (Het Hogeland) and Agriport A7 (Hollands Kroon); the cabinet's June 2022 draft named Agriport A7 and B1. The rule covers only new facilities; those permitted before it took effect are exempt.
gtlaw.com, 2024-03-04
Sources conflict: NL Times (29 Mar 2026) dates the cap to 2022 and lists three areas, including 'the Schiphol region', which the law firm and the 2022 Rijksoverheid page do not. The consolidated Bkl text was not read. |
Netherlands (national)
Moratorium · 2026-03
proposed | Asks the government to stop construction of large-scale data centres.
At least seven hyperscale projects, including Microsoft in Amsterdam and Lelystad, go ahead because their permits came first. Four more depend on whether Minister Boekholt-O'Sullivan acts on the motion. Four future hyperscales are approved in Haarlemmermeer.
nltimes.nl, 2026-03-29
Motion number, sponsors and exact vote date are not given. Government follow-up is unknown. |
Norway (national)
Registration · 2025-01-01
active | Data-centre operators must register with the authorities (Nkom) before starting operations; it is a notification, not a permit.
Applies to commercial operators and to own-use sites above a power threshold. 88 were registered by 5 Jan 2026 (54 commercial, 34 internal); at 8 of them, 30–100% of power goes to crypto mining.
nkom.no, 2026-10-11
Legal basis: LOV-2024-12-13-76 §3-7 (lovdata). Counts are from Stortinget Innst. 140 S (2025–2026). The Nkom page has no visible date, so sourceDate is the access date. The power threshold value was not found. Electricity-tax changes for Norwegian DCs were not verified. |
Norway (national)
Moratorium · 2026-02-24
proposed | Asks the government to propose a ban on data centres for cryptocurrency and to assess the societal benefit of DC projects.
Committee majority recommendation (Innst. 140 S). Minority proposals for a national data-centre concession scheme were not adopted.
stortinget.no, 2026-02-24
The plenary vote date and the government's response were not checked. The committee notes the government missed the deadline set by an earlier 2023–24 resolution (no. 718) on a crypto ban. |
Spain (national)
Connection rule · 2026-08-25
proposed | Data centres of 1 MW or more would need 80% renewable supply with matching new capacity, and EU-based operators.
Each new MW of demand must be matched by 1 MW of new renewables commissioned no more than 18 months before operations; at least 80% must be matched hour by hour. Data must stay under EU control and facilities must reach Category A efficiency. Projects already in permitting get six months to comply.
pv-magazine.com, 2026-08-26
On 25 Aug the Council of Ministers approved urgent processing of the draft; it is not in force. Whether this relates to 'RDL 7/2026' is unchecked. |
Sweden (national)
Tax · 2023-07-01
active | Data centres pay the full electricity energy tax instead of the reduced industrial rate.
Proposed in the 2023 budget bill and in force from 1 Jul 2023, ending a regime in place since 2017. Industry (TechSverige) is lobbying to restore it.
techsverige.se, 2024-01-22
The rate change from SEK 0.006 to 0.36/kWh (about +6,000%) is from search snippets only (unchecked). No Stockholm connection restriction was verified. |
Scotland
United Kingdom
Moratorium · 2026-09-16
proposed | Calls for no planning or consent decisions on hyperscale data-centre applications until national guidance is published.
Motion passed by the Scottish Parliament on 16 Sep 2026; guidance due within 12 months, a draft by end-2026. More than 20 large facilities are proposed in Scotland.
euronews.com, 2026-09-17
Whether the motion binds councils or ministers is not stated; we class it as proposed until the Scottish Government acts. The '14 schemes / 2.4 GW' figure in earlier secondary sources was not verified. Petition PE2233 (moratorium) is before the Public Petitions Committee. |