Data-centre rules
Data centre regulation in Denmark
Our tracker lists 11 rules for building and running a data centre in Denmark, national and EU, and 7 of them are in force.
Each comes with its status, who it applies to and the next date that matters. When a rule here changes, the change is logged below with its date.
Rules that apply in Denmark
National rules first, then the EU rules every member state applies. Status as on the tracker.
| Rule | Level | Status | Applies to | Next date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Order 926 of 9 July 2024 on reporting of data centre energy performance (recast EED transposition) | National | In force since 1 September 2024 | New and existing sites. Operators of data centres with installed IT power of 500 kW or more; data centres used only for defence and civil protection are exempt | Report by 15 May each year |
| Order 1167 of 2 October 2025 on cost-benefit analyses, section 6 (data centre use of surplus heat) | National | In force since 11 October 2025 | New and substantially renovated sites. Data centres with total nominal energy input above 1 MW, when built or substantially renovated; cost-benefit analysis approved by the Danish Energy Agency; exempt if the heat is used in district heating or in the same building group | No date published |
| Heat Supply Act, section 23 r (inserted by Act 736 of 20 June 2025), basis for the surplus heat rules | National | In force since 11 October 2025 | Minister to set rules on data centres' use of surplus heat or other recovery of surplus heat; no threshold in the Act | No date published |
| Act 866 of 7 October 2026 amending the Electricity Supply Act (grid connection prioritisation and refusal) | National | In force since 12 October 2026 | Grid applicants. Minister may set rules on prioritising and refusing connection requests to the public grid; Order 892 uses this power | Order 892 takes effect 19 October 2026 |
| Order 892 of 9 October 2026 on prioritising capacity and refusal at capacity limits in the public electricity grid, sections 8, 14, 16 and 18 | National | Issued; published 15 October 2026, in force from 19 October 2026 | Grid applicants. Data centres whose primary purpose is network-based data processing, storage and related IT functions (category 4, last of four); refusal of category 3 and 4 requests where capacity is limited and higher priorities would be displaced; regional pools at least twice a year for requests of 3 MW or more; critical-function data centres fall in category 1 | 19 October 2026, entry into force |
| EED reporting, Article 12 and Delegated Regulation 2024/1364 | EU | In force | New and existing sites. Data centres ≥500 kW installed IT power | 15 May 2027, next annual report |
| EED waste heat, Article 26(6) | EU | In force | New and existing sites. Data centres >1 MW total rated energy input | Ongoing duty |
| EED energy management systems, Article 11 | EU | In force as a Directive duty on Member States; deadline not yet reached | Enterprises, including data-centre operators, with average annual energy consumption above 85 TJ (23.6 GWh) over the previous three years, all energy carriers together | 11 October 2027, certified energy management system in place |
| EU rating scheme, delegated regulation adopted 21 Sep 2026 | EU | Adopted, in Parliament and Council scrutiny | New and existing sites. Same ≥500 kW reporting population | In force 20 days after Official Journal publication, if not objected to |
| EU minimum performance standards | EU | Consultation open | Not yet defined | 14 December 2026, consultation closes |
| Cloud and AI Development Act, COM(2026) 502 | EU | Proposal, with Parliament and Council | Cloud and AI infrastructure providers broadly | No fixed date |
Denmark in detail
What the national rules say, with the legal texts.
Denmark requires operators of data centres with installed IT power of 500 kW or more to report to the EU database by 15 May each year (order 926 of 2024). Order 1167 of 2025, in force since 11 October 2025, requires data centres above 1 MW of nominal energy input to use surplus heat unless a cost-benefit analysis approved by the Danish Energy Agency shows this is not feasible. Order 892, published 15 October 2026 and in force from 19 October, puts data centres in category 4, the last of four grid priority categories. Grid companies must refuse category 3 and 4 connection requests where capacity is limited and higher priorities would be displaced.
Dates to watch
The next dates for Denmark and the EU, soonest first.
- 19 Oct 2026Denmark's Order 892 takes effect and places data centres last of four grid connection priority categories
- 14 Dec 2026The EU Commission's minimum performance standards consultation and call for evidence closes
- 15 May 2027EU database due every year
- 11 Oct 2027EU deadline under Article 11 of the Energy Efficiency Directive for a certified energy management system at enterprises above 85 TJ (23.6 GWh) of annual energy consumption
Formal refusals and bans since 2025
Verified decisions only. Absence is not evidence of low planning risk.
Area-wide rules
- Oct 2026Denmark, nationwide Law places data centres last in the grid connection queue unless they serve a critical public functionIn force from 12 Oct 2026
- 2 Mar 2026Denmark, transmission grid Grid operator paused new connection agreementsNo resumption confirmed
Decisions from 1 Jan 2025; statuses checked 11 Oct 2026.
What changed
Every change to these rules on the tracker, newest first.
- 18 Oct 2026Added to the tracker: EED energy management systems, Article 11 (In force as a Directive duty on Member States; deadline not yet reached).
- 15 Oct 2026Added to the tracker: Order 926 of 9 July 2024 on reporting of data centre energy performance (recast EED transposition) (In force since 1 September 2024).
- 15 Oct 2026Added to the tracker: Order 1167 of 2 October 2025 on cost-benefit analyses, section 6 (data centre use of surplus heat) (In force since 11 October 2025).
- 15 Oct 2026Added to the tracker: Heat Supply Act, section 23 r (inserted by Act 736 of 20 June 2025), basis for the surplus heat rules (In force since 11 October 2025).
- 15 Oct 2026Added to the tracker: Act 866 of 7 October 2026 amending the Electricity Supply Act (grid connection prioritisation and refusal) (In force since 12 October 2026).
- 15 Oct 2026Added to the tracker: Order 892 of 9 October 2026 on prioritising capacity and refusal at capacity limits in the public electricity grid, sections 8, 14, 16 and 18 (Issued; published 15 October 2026, in force from 19 October 2026).
Get an alert for Denmark
We write to this list when a rule here changes status or a date moves, usually within a week of the change appearing in the log above. Nothing else, and your address is never shared.
Questions
Which rules apply to a data centre in Denmark?
Our tracker lists 11 rules for building and running a data centre in Denmark, national and EU, and 7 of them are in force.
What is the next date for data centre rules in Denmark?
The next date is 19 Oct 2026: Denmark's Order 892 takes effect and places data centres last of four grid connection priority categories.
From the European data-centre regulation tracker, which cites the legal text for every rule. Data-centre market data for Denmark. Grid connection for data centres in Denmark.
Sources: EUR-Lex (Official Journal of the EU), European Commission, Retsinformation (Danish law).