Microsoft terminated its anchor-tenant agreement with Nscale for the Loughton site in Essex on October 18, 2026, because of delays in connecting to the electricity grid. UK Power Networks said adequate power would not become available until the early to mid-2030s, although the data center was due to open in late 2026 or early 2027. The project was designed for an initial capacity of 50 MW, with room to expand to 90 MW, and 23,040 Nvidia GB300 GPUs dedicated to Azure. Microsoft says its broader relationship with Nscale remains strong and that its contracts in Norway, Portugal and the United States are unaffected, although the Norwegian site currently has only 6.4 MW of its planned 30 MW operational. After filing for a US IPO in September 2026 that targeted a valuation of up to $35 billion, Nscale is exploring on-site electricity generation, including fuel cells.
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