Norwegian operator group Telenor unveiled a partnership with a trio of companies to form an entity focused on building data centres in its home country, touting benefits around sustainability and security.

In a statement, Telenor explained it teamed with energy and infrastructure company Hafslund, private equity investor HitecVision and consultancy business Analysys Mason to jointly establish a data centre-focused business, setting sights on three new facilities in Oslo.

Telenor noted it, Hafslund and HitecVision would each hold an almost 31.7 per cent stake in the new entity with Analysys Mason owning the remaining 5 per cent.

The new data centres will be “colocation facilities” for several tenants, though Telenor Norway plans to deploy its own infrastructure. Companies mining cryptocurrency will not be accepted as customers.

Telenor CEO Sigve Brekke said security services in the country had called for “the establishment of data centres and cloud services for sensitive information, functions and infrastructure of important to national security interests”.

The partners pledged energy-efficient operations across all facilities, with Hafslund helping design data centres “with efficient solutions for reusing excess heat”.

Construction of the first facility will commence towards the end of the year.