Finnish opposition parties are pushing for a national permitting system for data centres, citing concerns over the uncoordinated power demand generated by large-scale projects. This call follows Google‘s announcement of a €13 billion ($15.1 billion) investment in Finnish AI infrastructure between 2027 and 2028, marking its largest single investment in Europe to date.Antti Kaikkonen, leader of Finland’s Centre Party, emphasised the need for a national system to manage new data centre investments, stating that “at the moment, no one is really looking after the overall picture.” Niina Malm, a Social Democratic Party MP, further framed electricity affordability as a “broader internal security issue.” The Social Democrats currently lead in polls ahead of Finland’s parliamentary election in April, potentially making permitting a key campaign issue.Prime Minister Petteri Orpo has countered these concerns, assuring that “there is enough electricity” and that Google is committed to maintaining sufficient supply and price control. Google’s investment includes a 22-year power purchase agreement for up to 50 per cent of Fortum’s Loviisa nuclear plant output, extending its operation until 2050. Ruth Porat, Google’s President and chief investment officer, described this as Google’s first nuclear energy deal outside the US, calling it “BYOP bring your own power.”The opposition’s response is notable given Finland’s historical openness to data centre development. State transmission operator Fingrid has already restricted new industrial-scale electricity connections in southern Finland since early 2025 due to rapid demand growth, with data centres accounting for approximately half of all new connection inquiries. This situation mirrors similar data centre pushback observed in markets like the US, UK, and India. Stakeholders should monitor the progression of data centre permitting discussions and potential policy changes in Finland and other Nordic countries, and assess the feasibility and benefits of long-term power purchase agreements, including nuclear energy, for future data centre developments.
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