A new high-value data centre coming to Lahti

A data center is a building or facility where large amounts of digital data are stored and processed. It houses countless servers that power websites, applications, and cloud services. Data centers enable, for example, the use of email, video streaming, and online file storage. In practice, nearly all internet services rely on some kind of data center.

Data centers are critical infrastructure in modern society. They are located all over the world, and their numbers are growing rapidly as a result of digitalization and advances in artificial intelligence.

Data centers require a reliable power supply, efficient cooling, and strong cybersecurity to operate seamlessly and securely. Finland is an attractive location for data centers due to its cool climate, clean energy, and stable conditions.

Lahti wants companies of all sizes to set up operations in the city. The larger the company, the more jobs, tax revenue, vitality, residents, and other businesses it brings to the city. The impact of a data center on the city’s vitality is long-term.

The data center will be built on the east side of Karistonkatu on a lot owned by Peab (a former asphalt plant) at Vartiokallionkatu 2, where the company currently operates a gravel quarry. Construction work can begin as soon as the necessary permits have been granted.

Peab estimates that the employment impact of the construction phase alone will be more than 3,000 person-years.

There are no residential areas in the immediate vicinity of the data center that may be located in Kujala. The nearest building is more than 300 meters away.