Google is set to invest at least €13 billion in digital infrastructure across Finland over the next two years, making it the company’s largest single investment in Europe as it expands capacity for artificial intelligence and other services.
The investment will fund new digital infrastructure in Hamina, Kajaani, Muhos and Vaala, supporting services including Gemini, Search, Maps and YouTube.
Google said the investment is expected to support more than 37,000 jobs nationwide and contribute an average of €3.6 billion annually to Finland’s GDP. Once the new facilities become operational, they are projected to support about 7,000 jobs each year.
The company will also commit €31 million over four years to local community initiatives, including €10 million for research and innovation. More than 4,400 workers are expected to receive AI skills training through local partnerships.
AI expansion tied to clean energy
Google said the new facilities will make use of existing grid infrastructure and be located closer to carbon-free energy sources.
The investment will also support biodiversity restoration projects involving native forests, peatlands and wetlands.
The Finnish commitment is significantly larger than Google’s other recent European investments. The company has pledged €5.5 billion to Germany through 2029 and committed €600 million to a new AI facility in the Netherlands in 2024.
Google also broke ground on its first data centre in Austria this year as it continues to expand its AI infrastructure across Europe.
22-year nuclear power agreement
Alongside the infrastructure investment, Google has signed a 22-year power purchase agreement with Finnish energy company Fortum to support the continued operation of a nuclear power plant near Loviisa in southern Finland.
According to the information provided, the agreement is Google’s first nuclear power contract outside the United States.
Google said that without the agreement, the plant would not be able to continue operating beyond 2030. The facility currently supplies about 10% of Finland’s electricity and employs around 580 people.
Keeping the plant operational is expected to support grid resilience and help stabilise electricity prices across Finland.
Nokia backs infrastructure expansion
Google’s latest investment builds on its existing presence in Finland, where it has operated a data centre in Hamina since 2009.
The facility supports more than 600 suppliers, including Finnish operators DNA and Elisa and technology company Nokia.
Nokia CEO Justin Hotard welcomed Google’s investment, highlighting the companies’ partnership in delivering optical and IP networks and outlining Nokia’s commitment to expanding infrastructure that will connect Google’s Finnish operations to the wider world.
“Every AI token is a network moment,” Hotard said. “Billions of agents, devices, and people act on intelligence in real time, and every one of those moments depends on a network that is fast, secure and always on. Nokia builds those networks.”
