Volue Data Centres and the Nordic Grid: Who Gets Power Next?

How data-centre demand is reshaping energy markets, flexibility and security of supply in the Nordics. Lars Haltbrekken (SV) argues Norway needs a national permitting system before data centre demand doubles unchecked, pointing to the country's 1906 to 1909 hydropower concession laws as precedent. Bård Standal, representing the Norwegian Data Center Industry, counters that Europe risks falling behind in a global compute race it did not choose to enter. Martha Marie Øberg, who leads Market Design at Statnett, explains what the connection queue, non-firm agreements and a market built for 15-minute intervals can and cannot do about AI load that moves in milliseconds. For anyone in Nordic power markets, grid planning, energy policy or data centre development who needs to understand where this debate is actually heading, not just the headlines. 00:00 Welcome and introductions 04:38 The political fight for national control 32:49 Grid queues, flexibility and market design 48:41: Outlook: security, sovereignty and the next five years