Google to invest $15 billion in Finland AI data centers

Google announced a minimum €13 billion ($15 billion) investment in Finland over the next two years. The spending will expand data centers, increase clean energy capacity and fund local community programs. The company described the amount as its largest single investment in Europe.

The plan expands the existing Hamina campus and adds three new data centers in Kajaani, Muhos and Vaala. Construction work is scheduled to run through 2027 and 2028.

Google estimates the construction phase will support more than 37,000 jobs across Finland and add about €3.6 billion a year to the country’s GDP. The company expects roughly 16,000 construction roles, producing an estimated €911 million a year in construction labor income.

When the sites are operational, they are projected to sustain around 7,000 permanent jobs for engineers, technicians, security staff and catering. Google reports average pay at these roles will be about 24% higher than Finland’s national median wage.

Google committed €31 million over four years for community programs in Hamina, Kajaani, Muhos and Vaala. The funds will support AI training for more than 4,400 workers in partnership with local colleges and create 100 training places for students pursuing data-center careers. The company set aside €10 million of that fund for local research and innovation projects.

Power and grid stability are central to the plan. Google signed a 22-year agreement with Fortum to support a life extension of the Loviisa nuclear plant, which supplies about 10% of Finland’s electricity and employs roughly 580 people. Google also plans new onshore wind capacity and has contracted a 94-megawatt battery system near Kajaani, expected to operate in late 2027, to help stabilise the grid during cold, low-wind periods.

Google will coordinate site planning with grid operator Fingrid and the government agency Business Finland to align future data center locations with grid capacity.

Finland’s cold climate and largely low-carbon power mix have attracted major cloud providers. Microsoft and ByteDance have developed data center projects in the country. Google said the investment will add compute capacity to support AI services, including its Gemini models.

Ruth Porat, Google’s chief investment officer, described the funding as the company’s largest single investment in Europe and commented, “We are proud to deepen our roots in Finland with our largest single investment in Europe.”