From BBC News · · 1 min
Google Bets €13bn on Finnish AI and Nuclear Power
Google's largest European investment pairs new Finnish data centers with a 22-year nuclear power agreement to fuel AI expansion.
In brief
Google's largest European investment pairs new Finnish data centers with a 22-year nuclear power agreement to fuel AI expansion. Tech giants are securing long-term nuclear energy deals in cold-climate nations to power energy-intensive AI workloads. Originally reported by BBC News.
Record European AI investment
Google announced a €13bn investment package in Finland to expand AI infrastructure, construct three new data centers, and enlarge an existing facility.
“This is Google's largest single investment in Europe and a testament to Finland's leadership in responsibly building AI infrastructure.”
Nuclear power partnership
Google signed a 22-year contract with Finnish utility Fortum to buy up to 50% of the electricity produced by the Loviisa nuclear power plant.
Why Finland is winning
Cold weather reduces server cooling costs, while abundant low-carbon energy and strong digital infrastructure make Finland a magnet for tech hubs like Google and TikTok.
Major economic impact
Construction scheduled for 2027 and 2028 across Kajaani, Muhos, Vaala, and Hamina will support over 37,000 jobs and boost Finland's annual GDP by €3.6bn.
“The value of the data economy extends far beyond direct investment into spurring innovation, research and development.”
Fueling next-gen AI tools
The expanded capacity will power services like Gemini, Search, and YouTube, alongside Google funding for local clean energy and biodiversity projects.
Race for huge computing power
As parent company Alphabet scales global spending plans toward $205bn, securing massive clean energy supplies has become crucial to sustain AI growth.
The main idea
Tech giants are securing long-term nuclear energy deals in cold-climate nations to power energy-intensive AI workloads.
