Finland Proposes New Data Center Register: What Investors and Operators Should Know

Authors: Anniina Kunnaton, Matti Lajunen, Tatu Prehti, Sofia Tyykiluoto Read time: 3 min

Finland continues to see significant data center investment, and the regulatory framework around the sector is developing alongside the market.

On 29 October 2026, the Finnish Government submitted a proposal to Parliament to establish a new Data Center Register. The purpose is to give authorities a more comprehensive and forward-looking overview of existing and planned data centers and their impact on energy consumption and infrastructure.

The proposal would introduce a new reporting obligation rather than an additional project approval process. Below, we outline the proposed requirements and their practical implications for investors, developers, and operators.

Which data centers would be covered?

The notification obligation would apply to data centers with a planned or installed information technology power demand of at least 0.5 megawatts. Buildings forming part of the same overall project, including known expansions, would be considered together when determining whether the threshold is met. Smaller data centers could register voluntarily.

The notification regime would cover not only new projects but also qualifying data centers already operating or under construction, as well as projects for which an electricity grid connection agreement has already been concluded.

What information would need to be reported and when?

Operators would be required to provide information on various matters, including:

• the data center’s location and ownership
• its intended use and capacity
• electricity and water consumption
• the planned project timetable
• the entities exercising control over the data center, and
• whether the owner, operator, or any controlling entity falls within the scope of the NIS2 Directive (European Union Cybersecurity Directive).

For new projects, the notification would need to be submitted within 30 days of concluding an electricity grid connection agreement and, in any event, before construction begins.

Operators would also need to keep the registered information up to date and report material changes affecting the information provided. Notifications regarding changes would be subject to different deadlines depending on the nature of the change.

If a data center has no operator when the notification is due, the owner would be responsible for submitting it.

Would registration involve a fee?

The costs of maintaining the register and supervising compliance would be covered by notification fees charged to operators. The amount of those fees would be determined later by a separate decree. According to the proposal, the estimated total cost per notifier would be approximately EUR 10,000.

What would be the implications of non-compliance?

Finland’s National Emergency Supply Agency (NESA, in Finnish: Huoltovarmuuskeskus) would maintain the register and supervise compliance with the notification obligation.

If an operator failed to comply with its notification obligation, NESA could require it to remedy the failure within a specified period. The order could be backed by a conditional fine to secure compliance. A failure to notify would therefore not automatically result in a fine.

NESA would not have the power to inspect data center premises or to suspend or prevent the implementation of a data center project or the operation of a data center.

Would registration amount to project approval?

No. The proposed register would not constitute a new permitting regime. A notification could not be used to approve or prevent a project or to impose conditions on an investment.

Equally, registration would not replace a building permit or any other permits required for the project. Developers would need to address the notification obligation separately from the applicable permitting processes.

When would the requirements take effect?

The legislation is proposed to enter into force on 1 April 2027. Qualifying data centers that are already operating or under construction, or for which a grid connection agreement has been concluded by the time the Act enters into force, would need to submit their notification by 30 June 2027.

Our dedicated Data Center Team is happy to discuss the proposal and related issues.