Google to Invest Record $15 Billion In AI Infrastructure In Finland
(Wednesday September 09, 2026 @11:30PM (BeauHD)
from the Texas-of-Europe dept.)
- Reference: 0185569722
- News link: https://hardware.slashdot.org/story/26/09/09/2151202/google-to-invest-record-15-billion-in-ai-infrastructure-in-finland
- Source link:
Google [1]plans to invest at least $15 billion in AI infrastructure in Finland through 2028 , its largest single investment in Europe. The company also signed a 22-year power agreement with Finnish utility Fortum and said it will explore business models that could support new nuclear reactors at Fortum's Loviisa site.
Finland has emerged as a major data-center hub thanks to its available land and power. "I've heard it called the 'Texas of Europe' at industry events," Matti Lajunen, partner of real estate at Finnish law firm Hannes Snellman, told CNBC. "What we're now seeing is weekly new inquiries for market entry into Finland from new players."
Ruth Porat, president and chief investment officer of Alphabet and Google, said in a statement: "Google is proud to deepen our roots in Finland with the company's largest single investment in Europe, building on more than 15 years of sustained investment in Finland. This investment underscores Google's commitment to grow our presence responsibly, pairing the expansion of our technical infrastructure with new energy capacity, grid enhancements, and energy affordability initiatives."
[1] https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/09/google-finland-ai-infrastructure-investment.html
Finland has emerged as a major data-center hub thanks to its available land and power. "I've heard it called the 'Texas of Europe' at industry events," Matti Lajunen, partner of real estate at Finnish law firm Hannes Snellman, told CNBC. "What we're now seeing is weekly new inquiries for market entry into Finland from new players."
Ruth Porat, president and chief investment officer of Alphabet and Google, said in a statement: "Google is proud to deepen our roots in Finland with the company's largest single investment in Europe, building on more than 15 years of sustained investment in Finland. This investment underscores Google's commitment to grow our presence responsibly, pairing the expansion of our technical infrastructure with new energy capacity, grid enhancements, and energy affordability initiatives."
[1] https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/09/google-finland-ai-infrastructure-investment.html
Comparatively speaking (Score:3)
by oh-dark-thirty ( 1648133 )
Finland (132,000 sq mi) is roughly the same area as New England and a good part of Mid-Atlantic.
Finland: 49 people/sq mi
Avg New England and Mid Atl: 318 people/sq mile
Make of that what you will.
Three Words for Google (Score:2)
by Grady Martin ( 4197307 )
Go to HEL.
And the best part of operating in finland (Score:2)
by williamyf ( 227051 )
is that 6 months out of the year you can operate the datacenter without Aircon.
Imagine the energy savings.
Such a wonderful place to be (Score:2)
by DrMrLordX ( 559371 )
[1]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=... [youtube.com]
[1] https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=baHsoEAAMZU
"The Texas of Europe" (Score:2, Funny)
... A bit like being called the fullbacks of chess.
Re: (Score:2)
Why is Texas always so backward?
Re: (Score:3)
"As a group, they tell good stories well. This is because Texas is what anthropologists call an oral culture. That means people here don't read and write much." -- Molly Ivins, 1982
Re: (Score:2)
The [1]heavyweight chess champion. [wikipedia.org]
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess_boxing