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Google picks Finland for its largest single investment in Europe

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Why This Matters

Google's €13bn Finland commitment is its largest single European investment and shows how AI infrastructure planning now starts with electricity, not real estate. A 22-year deal for up to half the output of the Loviisa nuclear plant signals that hyperscalers are locking in long-term, low-carbon baseload power. Finland's cool climate, clean grid and spare capacity are turning the Nordics into a magnet for AI data centres, as TikTok's $1bn Kouvola project also shows.

Key Takeaways

Google will buy up to half the electricity produced by one of Finland's nuclear power plants as part of a record €13bn (£11bn; $15bn) investment in the country's AI infrastructure, the company announced.

The US tech giant said the package would fund three new data centres, expand an existing site and support energy projects to power growing demand for AI services.

"This is Google's largest single investment in Europe and a testament to Finland's leadership in responsibly building AI infrastructure," the company said on Wednesday.

"Google's decision is a clear testament to our strengths," Finland's Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said in a statement.

As part of the deal, Google signed a 22-year contract with Finnish utility Fortum to buy up to 50% of the output from the Loviisa nuclear power plant.

Earlier this week, TikTok announced a $1bn investment in Finland to build a new data centre in Kouvola, pointing to the country's "strong digital infrastructure, clean energy mix, robust data governance and skilled tech talent".

Finland has emerged as an attractive location for data centres because of its cool climate, plentiful low-carbon electricity and relatively uncongested power grid. The colder temperatures can reduce the energy needed to cool facilities packed with computer servers.

Technology companies are racing to secure power supplies as the AI boom drives demand for vast networks of data centres.

The Google investment is expected to support more than 37,000 jobs during construction and boost Finland's GDP by €3.6bn a year, according to Google. Construction is set to take place in 2027 and 2028.

"The value of the data economy extends far beyond direct investment into spurring innovation, research and development," Orpo added.

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