Google is making its biggest single investment in Europe by committing €13bn ($15bn; £11bn) to expand artificial intelligence infrastructure in Finland. The technology giant says the investment will help build new data centres, expand an existing facility and support additional energy projects needed to meet the rapidly growing demand for AI services.
As part of the major investment, Google has reached a 22-year agreement with Finnish energy company Fortum to purchase up to half of the electricity generated by the Loviisa nuclear power plant. The deal is designed to give Google access to a reliable source of low-carbon electricity while providing Fortum with greater long-term financial certainty.
The Loviisa nuclear facility currently produces around 10% of Finland’s total electricity. Fortum said the agreement with Google would help support plans to extend the plant’s operating life and potentially increase its electricity production capacity.
Google’s expansion comes as technology companies around the world compete to secure enough electricity for the data centres required to run increasingly sophisticated AI systems. AI applications require enormous amounts of computing power, making access to stable and affordable electricity an increasingly important factor in deciding where companies build new facilities.
Finland has become an appealing destination for data centre investment because of its relatively cool climate, strong digital infrastructure and access to low-carbon electricity. Cooler weather can also reduce the amount of energy required to keep large facilities filled with computer servers at safe operating temperatures.
Under the new investment programme, Google plans to construct three additional data centres in Kajaani, Muhos and Vaala. The company will also expand its existing data centre in Hamina, a facility Google created after converting a former paper mill in 2009.
Construction of the new facilities is expected to take place during 2027 and 2028. Google estimates that the projects will support more than 37,000 jobs during the construction period and could contribute approximately €3.6bn annually to Finland’s economy.
The investment is not limited to data centres. Google said the package will also include clean-energy projects, improvements to the electricity grid and initiatives designed to make energy more affordable. The company also plans to establish dedicated funds supporting biodiversity, education, research and workforce development in local communities.
Google said the expanded infrastructure will help provide the computing capacity needed for a range of its products and services, including its Gemini AI chatbot, Google Search, Maps and YouTube.
Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo welcomed the announcement, describing Google’s decision as evidence of the country’s strengths as a technology and investment destination. He said the partnership could generate benefits beyond the immediate investment by encouraging innovation, research and development.
Google President and Chief Investment Officer Ruth Porat said the company was strengthening its long-term presence in Finland while seeking to expand its infrastructure responsibly. She highlighted the combination of new technical facilities, additional energy capacity, improvements to the power grid and measures aimed at supporting energy affordability.
The announcement comes amid a broader global push by technology companies to expand their AI infrastructure. Earlier this year, Google’s parent company Alphabet increased its planned global spending to as much as $205bn as it sought to build additional computing capacity to support AI services.
Google is not the only major technology company investing in Finland. TikTok recently announced plans to invest $1bn in the country to develop a new data centre in Kouvola. The company cited Finland’s digital infrastructure, clean energy resources, data governance and skilled technology workforce as major advantages.
The growing interest from global technology companies highlights Finland’s emerging role in Europe’s data centre industry. Its combination of renewable and nuclear electricity, cooler temperatures and available grid capacity makes it particularly attractive as demand for AI computing continues to rise.
For Finland, Google’s investment could bring substantial economic benefits while supporting the development of its energy and technology infrastructure. For Google, the long-term agreement with Fortum provides access to a dependable source of low-carbon power at a time when securing electricity has become a crucial part of the global AI race.
The partnership therefore represents more than the construction of new data centres. It reflects the increasingly close relationship between artificial intelligence, energy production and national infrastructure as technology companies prepare for the next phase of AI growth.
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