Google Pours €13bn Into Finland AI Data Centers — SkimNews
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- Google unveiled a €13bn (£11bn; $15bn) investment in Finnish AI infrastructure — its largest single investment in Europe — covering three new data centers, an expansion of its Hamina site, and energy projects.
- Fortum signed a 22-year contract letting Google purchase up to 50% of output from the Loviisa nuclear power plant, which currently generates roughly 10% of Finland's electricity, giving the plant long-term financial certainty for life-extension work.
- New data centers will be built in Kajaani, Muhos, and Vaala, while the existing Hamina facility — a former paper mill Google converted in 2009 — will be expanded, with construction scheduled for 2027 and 2028.
- Google estimates the package will support more than 37,000 jobs during construction and add €3.6bn annually to Finland's GDP, with the infrastructure set to power Gemini, Search, Maps, and YouTube.
- Alphabet raised its global spending plans to as much as $205bn earlier this year as it races to expand computing capacity for AI services.
- TikTok separately announced a $1bn data center investment in Kouvola, Finland earlier this week, citing the country's clean energy mix and digital infrastructure.
- Finland's cool climate, low-carbon grid, and uncongested power network have made it a favored destination for hyperscalers seeking to cut server-cooling costs.
Why it matters: Google is locking in 22 years of nuclear baseload power and pouring €13bn into Finland while parent Alphabet pushes annual capex toward $205bn — meaning the AI buildout is now competing directly with national grids for long-dated, low-carbon electricity contracts rather than just leasing cloud space.
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