If realised, the project planned next to the Mustanlahti industrial area would strengthen the region’s vitality. The forthcoming EIA and zoning phase will assess the project’s local benefits, drawbacks and environmental impacts.

Energy company Pohjan Voima is developing a data centre project in Mustanlahti, Mänttä-Vilppula, in partnership with forestry and natural capital company Finsilva. The approximately 40-hectare project site is owned entirely by Finsilva.

An initiative to zone the area has been submitted to the City of Mänttä-Vilppula, which will decide whether to launch the zoning process. The project’s impacts will then be examined in detail through the environmental impact assessment (EIA) procedure and the zoning process. The EIA will assess natural values, traffic, noise, water impacts, and other environmental impacts, as well as the views of local residents.

“The assessments will provide extensive information on the conditions Mustanlahti offers for data centre operations. Only on that basis can we evaluate whether the project is suitable here and on what terms,” says Tomi Mäkipelto, CEO of Pohjan Voima.

“I fully understand that with data centre projects, the first questions concern electricity – arranging the power supply and its use. Those will also become clearer along the way. We are able to add new renewable energy production in Finland as needed.”

If realised, the data centre would be a major investment in Mänttä-Vilppula. It would generate property tax revenue for the city, create local jobs, particularly during construction, and open new opportunities for businesses in the area. During the permitting phase, the potential to utilise the data centre’s waste heat in the Mustanlahti industrial area, or more widely across Mänttä-Vilppula, will also be examined.

“Based on our current understanding, Mustanlahti would be a very good location for a data centre. The industrial area is adjacent, as is Fingrid’s substation. Transport connections are already in place, and the main grid transmission line connections in the area will be reinforced in the coming years,” says Juha Hakkarainen, CEO of Finsilva.

One of Finsilva’s aims is to enable new forms of land use that meet the changing needs of people and society.

“At its best, the data centre would significantly strengthen the vitality of Mänttä-Vilppula. At the same time, it would create jobs and new business opportunities and support the green transition. For us, this is responsible business,” says Hakkarainen.

If the zoning and permitting processes proceed as planned, the zoning plan enabling the construction of the data centre could be submitted to the city council for approval at the end of 2027. The investment decision on the data centre could then be made in 2028.

Contact

Tomi Mäkipelto
CEO, Pohjan Voima
050 370 4092
tomi.makipelto@pohjanvoima.fi

Juha Hakkarainen
CEO, Finsilva
0400 870 867
juha.hakkarainen@finsilva.fi

Pohjan Voima Pohjan Voima develops clean energy production and its applications: energy parks, battery energy storage systems, and low-emission data centres. The company is owned by the Swedish Arise (part of the Nordic Aneo Group), the mutual insurance company LocalTapiola, and the company’s management team. www.pohjanvoima.fi

Finsilva Plc is a Finnish forest and natural capital company that operates in forestry, renewable energy, and real estate development. We are one of the largest private and independent forest owners in Europe. We own approximately 137,000 hectares of well-managed Finnish forests. www.finsilva.fi