Google's €13bn Finland Bet Sparks Data Centre Permitting Push

Finland's opposition parties are calling for a national permitting system for data centres in response to Google's €13 billion investment in Finnish AI infrastructure. The Centre Party and Social Democratic Party have voiced concerns that the country lacks coordinated oversight of power demand created by such projects.

Antti Kaikkonen, leader of the Centre Party, said that while data centres are welcome, 'no one is really looking after the overall picture.' Niina Malm, a Social Democratic Party MP, framed electricity affordability as a 'broader internal security issue' rather than an economic concern.

Prime Minister Petteri Orpo pushed back on these concerns, stating that there is enough electricity and that Google is committed to keeping supply sufficient and prices under control. The deal between Google and Fortum includes a 22-year purchase agreement for up to 50% of the Loviisa nuclear plant's output.

The opposition's push for a national permitting system comes as Finland has seen significant growth in data centre demand, with state transmission operator Fingrid restricting new industrial-scale electricity connections in southern Finland since early 2025 due to faster-than-expected demand growth.