Halden Municipal Council adopts planning programme for Saugbrugs industrial site

Following a process at the Halden Municipal Council over some time where the Council had previously postponed a decision on the planning programme, the Council has now adopted the planning programme for the ongoing zoning process at the Norske Skog Saugbrugs industrial site. The decision enables Norske Skog to continue the planning work and assess the potential establishment of a data centre on parts of the site not required for fibre processing, paper production and associated industrial activity.

The planning programme establishes the framework for the further work, including technical studies and impact assessments of relevant environmental and societal effects. Based on these assessments, a detailed zoning plan may subsequently be prepared for public consultation and political consideration. The decision to adopt the planning programme does not constitute approval to construct a data centre.

The planning work will be carried out alongside continued fibre-based industrial operations at Saugbrugs, including production on PM4 and PM5 and the planned transition to the rebuilt PM6 from the first half of 2028. Norske Skog will evaluate how available areas and existing industrial infrastructure can support complementary future activities without compromising the continued operation and development of the mill.

"We appreciate that Halden Municipal Council has enabled the planning process to continue. This gives us the opportunity to properly assess how available parts of the Saugbrugs site can be developed alongside continued industrial production. The rebuilt PM6, NND's decommissioning activities and a potential data centre could together generate significant investment, employment and industrial activity, with positive long-term effects for Halden and the surrounding region," says Geir Drangsland, CEO of Norske Skog.

About Norske Skog

Norske Skog is a producer of packaging paper and publication paper across four mills in Europe. Packaging paper includes testliner and fluting and publication paper includes newsprint and magazine paper. The annual production capacity of packaging paper is 0.8 million tonnes, and the annual production capacity of publication paper is 1.2 million tonnes. Packaging paper and publication paper are sold through sales offices and agents. Norske Skog has approximately 1 650 employees and the parent company, Norske Skog ASA, a public limited liability company, is incorporated in Norway and has its head office in Oslo. The company is listed on Oslo Stock Exchange with the ticker NSKOG.

For further information:

Norske Skog media: Vice President Communication and Public Affairs Carsten Dybevig Email: carsten.dybevig@norskeskog.com Mob: +47 917 63 117

Norske Skog capital markets: Senior Vice President Corporate Finance Even Lund Email: even.lund@norskeskog.com Mob: +47 906 12 919