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foundation excavation. Progress has also been made on the spillway, powerhouse, and power intake, with the spillway currently ahead of schedule. Work on the powerhouse building is underway, while electro-mechanical equipment is in advanced stages of manufacturing. Mohmand dam, being built on the Swat River in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Mohmand district, is expected to begin generating electricity in 2027. With an installed capacity of 800MW, it will add approximately 2.86 billion units of low- cost hydropower to the national grid annually. Once completed, the 213m-high structure will be the world’s fifth tallest concrete-faced rockfill dam. It will store 1.29 million acre-feet of water, support irrigation for over 18,000 acres of new farmland, and supplement irrigation for another 160,000 acres in the region. The project will also supply 300 million gallons of drinking water daily to Peshawar and reduce flood risks for Peshawar, Charsadda, and Nowshera.
Australia
Marinus Link secures investment decision and environmental approval The Marinus Link interconnector project in Australia has reached a Final Investment Decision (FID) and received federal environmental approval, clearing the way for construction of Stage 1 to begin in 2026. Marinus Link Pty Ltd (MLPL) said the decision confirms that there is a sound financial and economic investment case for proceeding with the construction phase of Stage 1, based on an assessment of forecast costs, revenue, associated benefits, and risks. MLPL CEO Stephanie McGregor said Marinus Link’s legacy has been cemented in Australia’s energy system, economy and climate aspirations. “The coming together of three jurisdictions demonstrates Marinus Link’s truly national significance and benefit across the National Electricity Market, as well as directly to communities in Tasmania and Victoria,” McGregor said. “This marks our shareholders’ green light for the Marinus Link project. Everyone who has worked on Marinus Link from conception to now deserves credit for this historic achievement and should be incredibly proud.” The project will connect the island state
of Tasmania with the state of Victoria via a subsea and underground high-voltage direct current (HVDC) link, increasing the transfer of renewable generation – particularly Tasmanian hydroelectricity – into the National Electricity Market (NEM).
Stage 1 will deliver 750MW of capacity,
roughly equivalent to supplying 750,000 Australian homes. The full two-stage build will total 1500MW. Electricity will flow in both directions, enabling Tasmania to export surplus hydro and wind generation to mainland Australia and import electricity when mainland wind and solar output is high, conserving hydro storage.
According to the Australian Energy Regulator, Marinus Link will deliver more than $1 billion in climate pollution savings and place downward pressure on energy prices. The project is expected to create up to 3,300 direct and indirect jobs across Tasmania and Victoria during development and construction. Federal Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen said: “Marinus Link will bring more of Tasmania’s hydroelectricity to the mainland. It will deliver an economic boost to Tasmania and wider Australian industry during construction as well as having long lasting benefits by improving the transmission of cleaner reliable renewable energy”. “By unlocking Tasmania’s world-class
renewable energy resources, this project will help power homes and businesses across the eastern seaboard and accelerate our transition to net zero. It will also strengthen energy security for Tasmania and Victoria by providing National Electricity Market (NEM) customers with greater access to a diverse and abundant supply of renewable energy and storage capacity,” added Federal Environment and Water Minister Murray Watt. “The project will support the creation of hundreds of jobs in both Victoria and Tasmania and will create future opportunities for investment opportunities for business in construction, engineering, telecommunications, and renewable energy.” Construction of Stage 1 is scheduled for completion in 2030. The Australian Government has set strict environmental conditions for both marine and terrestrial works. The approval process included consultation with the Tasmanian and Victorian Governments and offshore regulators to address impacts on protected species and ecosystems.
Norway Stargate Norway to deliver 100,000 GPU AI facility powered by hydropower Nscale, Aker ASA, and OpenAI have announced the launch of Stargate Norway, a large-scale AI data centre project to be located in Kvandal, just outside Narvik in Northern Norway. The facility will be powered entirely by renewable energy – primarily hydropower – and aims to install 100,000 NVIDIA GPUs by the end of 2026. The project, led by global AI infrastructure
provider Nscale in partnership with Aker and OpenAI, is OpenAI’s first European infrastructure project and the first under its “OpenAI for Countries” programme. The initial buildout will provide 230MW of capacity, with potential expansion of an additional 290MW. Kvandal was selected for its abundant
hydropower, low local electricity demand, and limited grid export capacity, all of which contribute to electricity prices well below the European average. The area also benefits from a cold climate and existing industrial infrastructure, making it suitable for energy- intensive operations like AI data processing.
8 | September 2025 |
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“Announcing Stargate Norway and delivering one of the first European AI Gigafactory to market is a strategic milestone for the region and boosts its role in the global AI landscape,” said Josh Payne, CEO of Nscale. “Sovereign, scalable and sustainable infrastructure is now essential to remain competitive. We’re proud to partner with Aker, drawing on the team’s extensive experience and impressive track record, to deliver a new generation of AI economic and productivity growth in Europe. Together, we are combining OpenAI’s leading models with Nscale’s vertically integrated AI cloud, to provide the sustainable infrastructure necessary to support public benefit, build industrial resilience and enable long-term regional innovation.” The site will be designed and built by Nscale and owned through a 50/50 joint venture between Nscale and Aker, via wholly owned subsidiaries. The joint venture is pending completion of Aker’s planned merger with Aker Horizons. Both companies have committed approximately US$1 billion to the first 20MW phase, including US$250 million in equity, equally split between the partners. The facility is expected to have a long-term operational presence in the region and will work with local academic institutions to promote AI research and workforce development in Northern Norway. “Norway has a proud history of turning
clean, renewable energy into industrial value, powering global industries like aluminium and fertiliser,” said Øyvind Eriksen, President & CEO of Aker. “Today, artificial intelligence and advanced data operations represent the next wave of value creation. Northern Norway, with its surplus of clean energy, available capacity, and industrial readiness, is the ideal launchpad for this transformation. As data centres shift from cost centres to value- generating assets, Norway’s energy advantage becomes a catalyst for the next generation of digital industry. We’re proud to help drive this development alongside Nscale, OpenAI, and local stakeholders.”
OpenAI will be an initial offtaker under its “OpenAI for Countries” programme, with an option to scale usage as the facility expands. “Europe needs more compute to realize the full potential of AI for all Europeans – from developers and researchers to startups and scientists – and we want to help make that happen,” said Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI. “I’ve always said we’d love to bring Stargate to Europe if the conditions are right, and we think we’ve found that in Narvik with clean, affordable energy, ideal climate, and great partners in Nscale and Aker. Stargate Norway will help provide the compute power to drive the next wave of AI breakthroughs and economic progress for Europe, in Europe.” The facility will incorporate closed-loop,
direct-to-chip liquid cooling for maximum efficiency and plans to recover waste heat for use in nearby low-carbon enterprises.
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