Google selects Finland for largest investment in Europe

Google just committed at least €13 billion, roughly $15.1 billion, to building out artificial intelligence infrastructure in Finland. It is the company’s largest single investment anywhere in Europe, ever. The money will flow during 2027 and 2028, funding the expansion of Google’s existing data center in the coastal city of Hamina and the construction of three entirely new facilities in Kajaani, Muhos, and Vaala. For a country of about 5.6 million people, this is the kind of economic event that reshapes a generation’s job market. What Google is building, and why Finland Finland’s appeal to hyperscale data center operators boils down to physics and geography. Cold Nordic air provides natural cooling for servers that generate enormous heat, cutting energy costs dramatically compared to warmer climates. The country also offers reliable access to low-carbon electricity, which matters increasingly as tech companies face scrutiny over the environmental footprint of their AI ambitions. Google’s plan goes well beyond pouring concrete. The company signed a 22-year power purchase agreement with Finnish energy firm Fortum, securing up to 50% of the electricity output from the Loviisa nuclear ...