Nebius Lappeenranta Finland: 310MW Liquid-Cooled AI Factory
Status: Announced / Pre-Construction (March 31, 2026) | Location: Lappeenranta
Project Overview
Announced on March 31, 2026, the Lappeenranta AI Factory represents a major milestone in Nebius’s strategy to build out a global portfolio of AI-optimized data center capacity targeting 3GW of contracted power. With a planned capacity of 310MW, the campus is engineered to support the extreme density, thermal output, and energy demands of next-generation GPU clusters. The facility is purpose-built for Nvidia’s Vera Rubin platform, incorporating advanced closed-loop liquid cooling architecture that ensures efficient heat dissipation while maintaining high compute performance. Notably, the system is designed to be water-neutral, eliminating the need for continuous external water intake for cooling operations, an important feature in preserving Finland’s sensitive natural water resources. One of the most innovative aspects of the project is its integrated heat recovery system, which captures excess thermal energy generated by AI workloads and channels it into the Lappeenranta district heating network. This approach enables the reuse of waste heat to warm thousands of nearby homes, reinforcing the project’s sustainability credentials and alignment with circular energy principles. Beyond its technical and environmental impact, the development is also expected to deliver strong economic benefits, including approximately 700 construction jobs during the build phase and around 100 permanent high-skilled roles once operational. Collectively, the Lappeenranta AI Factory strengthens Finland’s position as a leading European hub for sustainable, high-performance AI infrastructure.
Quick Facts
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Project Name | Nebius Lappeenranta Finland: 310MW Liquid-Cooled AI Factory |
| Location | Lappeenranta |
| Status | Announced / Pre-Construction (March 31, 2026) |
| Commissioning | Phase 1 Online: 2027; Full Build-out: 2028+ |
| Total IT Load | 310 MW at full deployment |
| Total Capacity | One of Europe's largest dedicated AI training campuses |
| Tier Level | Tier IV (AI-Optimized Hyperscale) |
| Project Type | Full-Stack AI Infrastructure & Model Training Factory |
City Profile
| Header | Details |
|---|
| City Name | Lappeenranta |
| Population | 73,000 |
| Urban Agglomeration | ~100,000 |
| City GDP | ~USD 6–7 billion |
| Per Capita Income | ~USD 45,000–50,000 |
| City Tier | Tier 3 |
| Key Strengths | Strategic location near the Russia–EU border, enabling logistics and trade positioning |
Companies Involved
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Developer / Operator | Nebius |
| Strategic Infrastructure Partner | Lappeenranta City Council / Local Energy Utilities. |
| Construction Contractor | Primarily sourced Finnish expertise (700+ jobs). |
| MEP Engineering | Nebius Proprietary AI-Factory Design. |
| Network Connectivity | Low-latency fiber backbone connecting to the Mäntsälä hub. |
| Power Infrastructure | 310 MW capacity; sourced from predominantly low-carbon Finnish mix. |
Technical Specifications
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Power Capacity | 310 MW |
| UPS Redundancy | $2N$ configuration for mission-critical training stability. |
| Cooling System | Closed-loop liquid cooling (No water consumption). |
| Connectivity | Core European hub for the Nebius AI Cloud. |
| PUE Target | < 1.10 (Targeting world-class efficiency) |
| Energy Mix | 100% Carbon-free matching via Finnish Wind/Nuclear. |
Milestones
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Announcement | March 31, 2026 |
| Construction Start | Expected late 2026 |
| Phase 1 Go-Live | 2027 |
| Full Buildout | 2028 |
Investment Details
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| Total Investment | Confidential (Estimated >€1.5 Billion) |
| Funding | Nebius Capital Expenditure. |