European AI infrastructure company Sesterce announced a €10 billion new data center campus in Finland, built on a former paper mill site.
French AI company Sesterce is investing €10 billion to build a large-scale data center campus at the former Kaipola paper mill site in Jamsa, Central Finland. Site clearance and initial interior work are underway, with commissioning planned for 2027.
The campus will initially deliver 200 MW of AI computing capacity, with construction scheduled to begin in 2026. A second phase will increase capacity to 600 MW, and Sesterce aims to develop more than 1 GW of AI capacity across Finland overall.
By redeveloping the industrial brownfield site, Sesterce will leverage existing power, water, buildings and infrastructure while preserving the location's industrial character and limiting environmental impact. The former Kaipola paper mill, which operated for more than six decades before closure, is currently owned by Kaipola Green Port, with negotiations reportedly underway over its sale to Sesterce.
The development is expected to create 2,000 jobs during construction and 300 permanent positions once operational. Sesterce plans to work primarily with Finnish contractors and subcontractors, similar to other regional data center projects including the TikTok-backed Kouvola facility.
The campus will employ closed-loop liquid cooling supplemented by harvested rainwater and recycled water—drinking water will not be used for cooling. Sesterce is also exploring opportunities to recover and utilize waste heat from the facility. As part of its commitments, the company plans to enable 1 MW of new renewable generation capacity in Finland for every 1 MW consumed by the campus within ten years of becoming operational; only newly built renewable generation will qualify.
The Kaipola site is already connected to Elenia's high-voltage electricity network, supporting the first phase. Elenia CEO Jorma Myllymaki noted that "a reliable and resilient electricity network is important for supporting large industrial investments and economic growth."
Sesterce has secured a customer for the Jamsa project, though the customer has not been publicly disclosed.
Upon commissioning, Sesterce plans to establish a €10 million community fund supporting local projects selected by residents and the City of Jamsa. The campus will also include public-facing facilities such as restaurants, education and learning spaces, while AI infrastructure areas remain secured and separate. Sesterce commitments will be independently audited and publicly reported annually.
Jori Reijula, Mayor of Jamsa, described the project as "an opportunity to strengthen the area's vitality," while emphasizing the importance of implementation progress and adherence to regulations—particularly significant given the decline of the paper industry in the region.