Nscale’s flagship £2bn data centre in Essex will miss its planned 2027 opening because a 90‑megawatt grid connection is still pending. The delay threatens to push back Nvidia GPU access for customers such as Microsoft. Limited grid capacity is a growing bottleneck for UK data‑centre projects, which demand massive power.

Nscale is exploring alternatives, including a partnership with California‑based Bloom Energy to supply power via solid‑oxide fuel cells. The company remains committed to the Essex site, but delays could trigger compensation to clients if compute capacity is not delivered on time. Sightline Climate data shows 26% of UK capacity was delayed in 2025, and 30–50% of global 2026 capacity may face similar setbacks.

Nscale has raised over $5bn from backers like Nokia, Nvidia, Dell and Blue Owl. Its Northumberland project was halted by OpenAI earlier this year over high energy costs. The London‑based firm is now developing sites in five countries.