Pure Data Centres Group, the pan-European and Middle East hyperscale cloud and AI data centre platform, has announced that it has launched what will become one of Finland’s largest ever inward investment projects. Additionally the investment is poised to be the largest ever by a UK company. Phase 1 of the project will foresee investment of over €1.5 billion for a 110MW AI campus. The site in Seinäjoki will be capable of scaling to a€7.5 billion, 550MW campus for AI workloads, subject to the necessary permissions and contracting. Furthermore, Phase 1 is already fully leased, with the substation for the first data hall, constructed and live, and all planning permissions and power requirements secured. This project will join Peab’s data center in boosting Finland’s AI infrastructure.
Economic Impact
In partnership with its local partner, SDC Ventures, the development will provide more than 3,000 jobs during the decade-long construction. Moreover, it will drive demand for skilled roles and utilising local companies wherever possible. Also, the project will improve local electricity and telecommunications infrastructure.
Additionally, Secretary of State for the UK Department of Business & Trade, The Rt Hon Peter Kyle MP said, “It’s fantastic to see a British headquartered firm thrive on the world stage by delivering the UK’s largest inward investment into Finland, cementing our position as a world leader in the AI space. Through our Modern Industrial Strategy, we’re ensuring the UK remains a leader in AI, setting ourselves apart globally while making sure our trillion-dollar tech sector continues to thrive for decades to come.”
Significance of the Project
Jaakko Kiiskilä, Mayor of Seinäjoki Municipality, said, “Our partnership between the Seinäjoki region, and Pure DC has been forged over the past two years, and I’m excited to see this part of our regional development strategy come to life. This project will bring major employment to the Seinäjoki area for years to come, and across many skills and trades. As well as the construction jobs and permanent roles there will be many other benefits for the area – business rates and property tax will be reinvested to benefit local residents, waste heat from the data centre will be repurposed for our district heating network, and our partnership will also see Pure DC investing across a number of education and reskilling initiatives. Our joint belief is that this campus can be a catalyst for the creation of an even larger ecosystem of entrepreneurs, supply chain industries, and employment for residents.”
“Countries building AI infrastructure over the next decade will shape the global economy for the next fifty years. Finland has all the ingredients required to lead this transformation, world class engineering talent, abundant renewable energy and a culture of innovation that gave rise to Nokia”, said Gary Wojtaszek, Executive Chairman & Interim CEO of Pure DC.
“We are not building data centres in Seinäjoki. Together with our partners, including the Seinäjoki Municipality, we are helping create one of Europe’s most important AI ecosystems capable of supporting global tech leaders as well as the next generation of Finnish entrepreneurs and innovators.”
Size and Capacity
Designated SJK01, the full campus is set within 370 acres and targeted to support over 550MW of IT capacity for mass-scale AI and machine learning workloads. With access to more than 700MVA of renewable power, the campus benefits from exceptionally low energy costs and a highly stable grid. The development strategy is based on repeatable 40MW ‘AI-ready’ modules, built with Direct Liquid Cooling (DLC) to support the high-density thermal demands of next-generation hardware.
Also, high density data halls will be developed which are based on a modular design for efficiency, predictability, and speed of delivery. The data halls will offer flexibility for future customer requirements, offering either air-cooled or liquid-cooled solutions. Both cooling approaches use closed-loop systems maintaining zero water use in operation.
Furthermore, Pure DC is committed to working with local communities near current and future operational locations. In Seinäjoki this includes developing a long-term skills pipeline through collaboration with Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences and vocational institutions. Additionally, it intends to provide specialist skills training with a path to immediate post qualification employment. This will help to reskill an area of Finland traditionally associated with forestry and paper-milling. Lastly, SJK01 will deploy waste heat management, allowing for district heating programmes.
Seinäjoki AI Data Centre Campus: Project Factsheet
Project Name: SJK01 AI Data Centre Campus
Developer: Pure Data Centres Group (Pure DC)
Local Partner: SDC Ventures
Location: Seinäjoki, West Finland (Kivenneva area)
Total Site Area: 370 acres (with expansion potential)
Target IT Capacity: 550MW+
Total Estimated Investment: Over €7.5 billion (approx. £6.4 billion) at full scale
Significance: One of Finland’s largest-ever inward investment projects, and the largest-ever by a UK-headquartered company.
Technical Specifications and Infrastructure:
- Power Access: Access to more than 700MVA of renewable power, utilizing Finland’s stable, low-cost electrical grid.
- Module Design: Standardized, repeatable 40MW “AI-ready” modules designed for swift deployment, high predictability, and maximum efficiency.
Cooling Systems:
- Equipped with Direct Liquid Cooling (DLC) to support extreme-density thermal demands of next-generation AI and machine learning workloads.
- Flexible modular architecture allowing for both air-cooled and liquid-cooled data halls.
- Closed-loop system configuration ensuring zero water consumption during operation.
Grid Status: Substation for the first data hall is already fully constructed, live, and operational.
Phases of Development
- Phase 1: It will cost over €1.5 billion. Also, it will boast a capacity of 110MW. Currently, it stands fully leased and all planning permissions and power secured; substation is live.
- Full Scale: Will cost Over €7.5 billion. It will have a capacity of 550MW+ and is subject to ongoing permitting and contracting phases.
Project Team
Pure Data Centres Group: (Developer & Operator)
Local Partners & Public Authorities:
SDC Ventures (SDC Project Ventures): The local Finnish co-development partner working on-site to handle local permissions, grid connections, and regional coordination.
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