The Finnish data centre company Polarnode is preparing a large-scale data centre complex in Kuopio that would strengthen Eastern Finland’s position as a hub for rapidly growing technological infrastructure. Following the reservation agreement confirmed on Wednesday, 10th December, the City of Kuopio will allocate the Mustakorpi area to Polarnode for the project’s development.
“Kuopio stands out thanks to its strong electrical grid, central location in Finland, and availability of skilled workforce. In addition, our collaboration with the city and other local stakeholders has been seamless,” says Mika Suomi, Head of Business Operations at Polarnode Oy.
The planned design capacity for the first phase of the data centre is approximately 50 MW, with the total capacity potentially reaching 250 MW in later stages. The project area covers about 32 hectares. Zoning for Mustakorpi is included in Kuopio’s 2026 zoning programme, and preparation of the zoning work is scheduled to begin in spring 2026. The project is currently in the planning phase, during which Polarnode will prepare the overall project for a later investment decision. The goal is to have the project construction-ready during 2027.
Significant Impact on Kuopio’s Regional Economy
The data centre project is expected to generate substantial employment and economic benefits for the Kuopio region, both during construction and the operational phase. Over the more-than-five-year construction period, hundreds of local professionals in the construction and technology sectors will be employed. Once operational, the data centre will create permanent jobs in areas such as maintenance, monitoring, security, and operational management. The broader regional impact will also be reflected in tax revenue, increased demand for accommodation and restaurant services, and new opportunities for education and research collaboration in fields such as data centre and energy technology.
“Finland has exceptionally strong conditions to become a European frontrunner in the data centre industry. We combine stability, clean energy, and world-class expertise in a way that attracts international actors. Kuopio offers excellent foundations for building one of the most modern data centres in Northern Europe. We aim to create a project that not only enables the growth of digital infrastructure but also brings lasting economic prosperity and technological competitiveness to the entire region,” says Mikko Toivanen, Co-founder and Chair of the Board at Polarnode Oy.
“Polarnode’s data centre project supports the strategic goals of the city: it brings significant investments, new jobs, and increased international visibility. The establishment of data centres in Kuopio accelerates the development of related educational fields and strengthens cooperation between local educational institutions and businesses, ensuring availability of skilled labour and fostering new expertise. The demands of data centres also drive investments in the electricity grid and enable broader regional development, benefiting the whole area and supporting green transition goals. Additionally, the utilisation of excess heat produced by data centres opens the door to diverse solutions such as district heating production and new circular-economy innovations. This supports Kuopio’s ambitions as a pioneer in sustainable development and resource wisdom,” says Mika Raatikainen, Business Advisor at the City of Kuopio.
Polarnode’s Other Projects
The Kuopio project is one of several data centre developments currently underway by Polarnode. The company has previously announced projects in Pori, Lappeenranta, and Nokia. As with the Kuopio project, these developments are also being built on city-owned land. Polarnode aims to make Finland a sustainable European hub for data centre business and embed the value brought by the industry as a lasting part of the national economy.
Polarnode is fully Finnish-owned. Founders Mikko Toivanen and Kalle Pykälä have previously prepared, financed, and built over one billion euros’ worth of wind and solar energy investments as founders of the renewable energy company Ilmatar.
Contacts
Mika Suomi, Head of Business Operations, Polarnode Oy
Tel. +358 40 565 4786, mika.suomi@polarnode.fi
Mikko Toivanen, Chair of the Board, Polarnode Oy
Tel. +358 500 595 471, mikko.toivanen@polarnode.fi
Mika Raatikainen, Business Advisor, City of Kuopio
Tel. +358 44 718 2048, mika.raatikainen@kuopio.fi
About Polarnode
Polarnode Oy is a Finnish data centre developer. Our vision is to enable the world’s cleanest data centres and embed data centre expertise as part of the Finnish economy. We develop, build, and operate data centres for our customers – reliably and responsibly.
www.polarnode.fi