AtNorth confirms two-billion-euro data centre investment in Salo

AtNorth will build a data centre in Salo in an investment the company estimates at about two billion euros, Yle reports. The company says the figure excludes customer-owned servers and their installation, which customers could invest up to a further 10 billion euros in.

The FIN05 data centre will be built on about 30 hectares at the Kärkkä industrial area, next to a former sugar factory. AtNorth describes itself as a leading Nordic provider of customised, high-density data centre solutions.

The electricity supply for the first phase, which will require 75 megawatts, has been secured. Solutions for the full project’s 230-megawatt requirement have been mapped out. The data centre will connect to the national grid through a Fingrid substation.

AtNorth says Salo is well suited to hosting critical infrastructure. Its proximity to Helsinki and the availability of skilled technology workers in Finland support the project, the company said.

The company plans to sign long-term electricity purchase agreements to support local energy production. It also intends to work with regional partners to make use of the data centre’s waste heat for the benefit of the local community.

Salo Mayor Anna-Kristiina Korhonen said in a statement that the data centre would create valuable jobs during construction and operation, as well as bring broader economic benefits to local businesses. She said the project would strengthen Salo’s appeal to innovative industries and support sustainable growth in the region over the long term.