Citizens' initiative demanding restrictions on data centers reaches 50,000 signatures
The petition calls for conditions on how data centres connect to Finland's electricity grid as well as for the introduction of a separate data centre fee.
A citizens' initiative demanding stricter regulations on data centers in Finland has garnered an impressive 50,000 signatures in just three days. The petition, titled "Datakeskukset kuriin" or "Rein in the data centers," was launched following Google's announcement of significant expansion plans for its data center operations in the country.
The signatories of the initiative are seeking government intervention to set conditions on how data centers connect to Finland's electricity grid and operate their business. They want to consider factors such as the electricity grid's capacity, mandatory backup power, and the utilization of waste heat generated by data centers.
Moreover, the initiative proposes introducing a separate data center fee, calculated based on the environmental harm caused by operations and the resources used, including electricity, water, and land. This measure aims to keep energy prices affordable for households and other industries. Finland's climate and abundant low-carbon electricity supply have made it an attractive destination for data center investments in recent years, with tech giants like Microsoft and ByteDance planning significant expansions.
Written by urgent.news from Yle News Finland's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
