SoftBank to spend up to $87 billion on French AI data centers — country offers ample nuclear grid that US sites lack

Tech Industry SoftBank to spend up to $87 billion on French AI data centers — country offers ample nuclear grid that US sites lack News By Luke James published 31 May 2026 The initial $52 billion phase targets 3.1 GW in Hauts-de-France by 2031. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works . (Image credit: SoftBank) Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter SoftBank Group will commit as much as €75 billion ($87 billion) to build five gigawatts of AI data center capacity across France, with a first €45 billion ($52 billion) phase delivering 3.1GW in the northern Hauts-de-France region by 2031. The Japanese group called it its largest AI infrastructure investment in Europe to date, with state-owned utility company EDF and France's Schneider Electric named as partners. Phase one covers three sites: Dunkirk's Loon-Plage, Bosquel, and Bouchain, and Masayoshi Son and President Emmanuel Macron are set to formalize the plan on Monday at the Choose France summit. What France offers is electricity: the country draws roughly 70% of its power from nuclear reactors run by EDF, is the world's largest net electricity exporter, and posts industrial power prices well under half the UK's. Son told the publication La Tribune du Dimanche that France being a producer and exporter of energy was "absolutely decisive" for AI infrastructure spending. EDF is contributing to the Bouchain site, a former power plant, which it will hand over for conversion. There’s a stark contrast between this and SoftBank’s American plans, where, to feed its planned 10GW data center in Ohio, the company has to build its own energy generation infrastructure in the form of a natural gas plant that’ll cost roughly $33 billion to build and generate roughly 9.2GW. France