The Finnish Construction Industry (RT) reminds us that building data centers can bring tens of thousands of jobs to Finland. Now the discussion is focusing on the centers' electricity consumption, although it is essential to ask what we lose by staying out of the investment race.
Data centers are the strategic infrastructure of the 2000st century, similar to ports, electricity grids and railways over a century ago. According to RT, Finland should actively pursue data center and artificial intelligence investments instead of focusing unilaterally on their electricity needs.
“The most important question is whether this new infrastructure will be built in Finland or elsewhere. The construction industry wants to build it here,” says RT’s CEO Alex Randell.
Data centers are not just individual construction projects, but part of the infrastructure connecting the global data economy, artificial intelligence and the green transition. They are also increasingly linked to the security, digital self-sufficiency and critical security of European data and Europe as a whole.
"It doesn't matter where AI models are run and how reliable the digital infrastructure is in Europe. Finland has the opportunity to profile itself as a secure Nordic data center and AI hub, as long as the decisions are made correctly," Randell points out.
Impacts are assessed too narrowly
According to RT, the impacts of data centers in Finland are assessed too narrowly. The discussion focuses on electricity consumption.
According to the data center industry, data centers account for 2–3% of Finland's electricity consumption and will grow to 7–8% by 2030. Traditional industry accounts for approximately 40% of consumption.
Data centers often enter into long-term power purchase agreements. They allow renewable energy producers to launch pre-planned wind and solar power projects that would otherwise be left waiting without a paying customer. This supports the electricity system and can lower the average price of electricity. On the other hand, the flight of data center investment to, for example, Sweden also affects the price of electricity in Finland through the common electricity market.
There is also a debate about the employment potential of completed data centers. However, a significant part of the benefits will arise from construction, investments and their extensive indirect effects. EK and the Data Center Industry autumn 2025 report According to the report, the total impact of the construction of the centers on employment would be 45,000 person-years by 2030. The tax effects of the construction phase are estimated at 1,7 billion euros, and of the production phase at 400 million euros per year.
There are data center projects EK's data window according to a preliminary study, planned or starting up with 31 billion euros. The data center industry estimates that by 2030, approximately 800 megawatts of new capacity will be built, corresponding to investments of approximately 8 billion euros.
It is possible to translate data center expertise into exports
RT emphasizes that tax planning related to global technology companies is a relevant issue, the solutions to which can be found in international tax policy, not in an individual country's investment brakes.
"If Finland does not build data centers, they will move to other countries. On the other hand, if we seize these, we will be able to translate our data center construction expertise into exports. What is needed now is predictable regulation and smooth permit processes from the government to get projects started," says Aleksi Randell.
The data center topic was discussed at the spring meeting of the RT Representative Council held on May 21, 2025.
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Additional information
Aleksi Randell
CEO
aleksi.randell@rt.fi +358 9 129 9201Confederation of Finnish Construction Industries (CFCI)
Assistant: Lotta Räty