atNorth will build a new data center in Salo, Finland, backed by an investment of about €2 billion. The Nordic colocation provider says the facility, named FIN05, will rise on a 28.6-hectare site, with power secured for an initial 75 MW phase and a path to as much as 230 MW across the full development.
The €2 billion figure covers atNorth's own buildout. It does not cover the servers customers install inside the facility, which the company says could add up to €10 billion more in investment.
Power and grid connection
FIN05 will connect through a Fingrid substation. atNorth plans to sign long-term power purchase agreements with local energy suppliers to back energy production in the region, along with flexibility measures meant to support the efficient operation of Fingrid's transmission grid.
Heat reuse plans
atNorth will also work with local stakeholders to explore using the heat the data center generates. Heat reuse means capturing the heat that computing equipment generates and putting it to use elsewhere, rather than letting it go to waste. The company already has heat reuse arrangements with Kesko Corporation in Finland, Stockholm Exergi in Sweden, and Vestforbrænding and Selected Group in Denmark.
Part of a wider Nordic buildout
FIN05 joins atNorth developments in Stockholm and Sollefteå in Sweden, Haugaland in Norway, Ølgod in Denmark, and Kouvola in Finland. atNorth, headquartered in Reykjavik, Iceland, operates seven data centers across the Nordics, plus four mega sites under development and an additional metro site under development in Stockholm.
What the parties say
"We look forward to working with Salo and regional partners as the project develops," said Eyjólfur Magnús Kristinsson, CEO of atNorth. Anna-Kristiina Korhonen, mayor of Salo, said the project will create employment during construction and operations and wider economic benefits for local businesses. Matti-Juho Ervasti, a partner at Regant Oy, said the project shows Salo's potential as a site for major digital infrastructure investment.
