Kouvola aims to become the Nordic hub for data centre industry

The Finnish city of Kouvola is positioning itself as a leading Nordic location for data centres, leveraging its industrial past to attract new investments after 15 years of targeted efforts, reports Yle.

Kouvola has systematically worked to establish itself as a data centre hub since the early 2010s, following the decline of its traditional forest industry. The city now hosts multiple construction projects, including a high-profile data centre for TikTok in the Korian area, set to begin operations in 2027.

Hannu Tylli, Kouvola’s technical director, highlights the city’s strong electricity grid—a legacy of its forest industry—as a key advantage. “Our traditional industry has left us with robust power infrastructure,” he said. The city previously lost major industrial sites when UPM closed its Voikkaa mill in 2006 and Myllykoski mill in 2011, but these areas are now being repurposed for data centres.

Four data centre projects are currently underway or planned in Kouvola, with the city actively marketing itself to international companies. Tylli notes proximity to Helsinki and its international airport as another selling point.

While Kouvola seeks hundreds of new jobs from the sector, Antti Poikola, director of the Finnish Data Centre Association, tempers expectations. “There are currently around 56 operational data centres in Finland, though some are very small,” he said, adding that roughly 15 significant projects remain in early stages nationwide.

The push for data centres has not been without controversy. Last year, revelations that TikTok would be the primary user of Kouvola’s Korian data centre sparked debate, with then-Minister of Economic Affairs Wille Rydman (Finns Party) raising concerns over data security risks. Poikola suggests Finland may introduce a registry to improve transparency around data centre ownership and primary users.

Kouvola’s ambitions reflect broader trends, as regions like Northern Finland develop into major data corridors, with companies like Google and Meta establishing facilities from Kajaani to Ii.