French AI company Sesterce is investing more than €10 billion to build a large-scale data center campus at the former Kaipola paper mill site in Jamsa, Central Finland. Sesterce says site clearance and initial interior work are underway, with commissioning planned for 2027.
The proposed Sesterce data center campus will initially deliver 200 MW of AI computing capacity. The first phase is scheduled to begin construction in 2026. A second phase is expected to increase the campus capacity to 600 MW. This is while Sesterce aims to develop more than 1 GW of AI capacity across Finland.
The €10 billion project is set to transform the former Kaipola industrial site into a major European AI infrastructure hub. Also, by using the brown-site, Sesterce will make use of existing power, water, buildings and other infrastructure.
Redevelopment of former Kaipola paper mill
Sesterce €10 billion AI Data Center in Finland will be developed on the site of the former Kaipola paper mill. The mill operated for more than six decades before its closure.
Sesterce said the decision to use the existing industrial site is intended to preserve its industrial character. This is also while limiting the environmental impact associated with developing new infrastructure.
The former mill site is currently owned by Kaipola Green Port, with negotiations reportedly underway over its sale to Sesterce.
Job opportunities at Sesterce data center development in Finland
Sesterce expects the development to create 2,000 jobs during the construction phase. Once operational, the data center campus also plans to employ 300 people.
Additionally, the company plans to work primarily with Finnish contractors and subcontractors during construction – as other developments including TikTok-backed Kouvola data center project have done.
200 MW first phase
The first phase of the Jamsa data center campus will have a planned capacity of 200 MW. Construction is planned to start this year. This is subject to regulatory approvals.
The second phase would increase capacity to 600 MW. In the longer term, Sesterce plans to develop more than 1 GW of AI capacity in Finland, with future projects expected to focus on existing industrial sites and follow market demand.
According to Sesterce, the Jamsa project already has a customer. However, no name has been disclosed.
Liquid cooling and renewable energy
The planned campus will use liquid cooling and flexible power consumption to improve energy efficiency.
Sesterce said cooling will be based on a closed-loop liquid system. This will be supplemented by harvested rainwater and recycled water. Drinking water will not be used for cooling.
The company is also considering opportunities to recover and utilize waste heat generated by the facility.
As part of its commitments for the Jamsa data center campus, Sesterce plans to enable 1 MW of new renewable generation capacity in Finland for every 1 MW consumed by the campus. This is planned for within ten years of the facility becoming operational.
Also noteworthy is that only newly built renewable generation capacity will qualify under the commitment.
€10 million community fund from Sesterce data center in Finland
Sesterce also plans to establish a €10 million community fund when the Jamsa campus is commissioned.
The fund will support local projects selected by the residents and the City of Jamsa.
Sesterce AI data center campus will also include facilities accessible to the wider community. This includes restaurants, education and learning spaces. Areas housing the AI infrastructure will remain secured and separate from the public facilities.
Sesterce also said its campus commitments will be independently audited and publicly reported each year.
Existing power infrastructure
The Kaipola site is already connected to Elenia‘s high-voltage electricity network, providing access for the planned first phase.
Elenia CEO Jorma Myllymaki said a reliable and resilient electricity network is important for supporting large industrial investments and economic growth.
Sesterce also stressed on the project’s use of existing industrial infrastructure as being central to its approach to developing AI data center campuses in Finland.
Project faces permitting process
The proposed investment would provide a significant economic boost to Finnish town of Jamsa. This is especially important with the decline of the paper industry.
Jori Reijula, the Mayor of Jamsa, also described the project as an opportunity to strengthen the area’s vitality. This is while emphasizing on the need for implementation progress and adherence to regulations.
Sesterce Jamsa AI Data Center Campus: Project fact sheet
Location: Former Kaipola paper mill site in Kaipola, Jamsa, Finland
Developer: Sesterce
Cost: €10 billion
Phase 1 capacity: 200 MW
Phase 2 capacity: Planned increase to 600 MW
Construction employment: 2,000 jobs
Operational employment: 300 jobs
Electricity network: Existing high-voltage connection operated by Elenia
Data Center Cooling: Closed-loop liquid cooling
Community fund: €10 million upon commissioning of the data center
Status: Planning and early development
Current construction activity: Clearance and initial interior work are underway
Leave a Reply