Data-centre rules
Data centre regulation in Finland
Our tracker lists 13 rules for building and running a data centre in Finland, national and EU, and 7 of them are in force.
Each comes with its status, who it applies to and the next date that matters. When a rule here changes, the change is logged below with its date.
Rules that apply in Finland
National rules first, then the EU rules every member state applies. Status as on the tracker.
| Rule | Level | Status | Applies to | Next date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energy Efficiency Act (1429/2014) s. 29 e: use of data centre waste heat | National | In force since 1 January 2026 (Act 1382/2025) | New and existing sites. Data centres with total power above 1 MW; an existing one that uses no waste heat must show by cost-benefit analysis that use is not feasible and notify Energiavirasto | First notice due by 31 December 2027 |
| Energy Efficiency Act s. 27 b, 28 and 29: cost-benefit analysis for new or significantly upgraded data centres | National | In force since 1 January 2026 (Act 1382/2025) | New and significantly upgraded sites. New or significantly upgraded data centres with nominal total energy input above 1 MW; exempt where waste heat is used in a district heating network or in the building (s. 28); notice to Energiavirasto before building or upgrade works start | No date published |
| Energy Efficiency Act s. 29 f: data centre information (Act 846/2024) | National | In force since 30 December 2024 | New and existing sites. Data centres with installed IT power of at least 500 kW; owner or operator publishes the province on its website | If the province changes, by 15 May of the following year |
| Energy Efficiency Act s. 29 g: Energiavirasto as competent authority for Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/1364 | National | In force since 1 January 2026 (Act 1382/2025) | Steps needed to implement the EU data centre rating scheme under Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/1364 | No date published |
| Act 1352/2025 (HE 156/2025): data centre electricity moved from tax class II to class I | National | Enacted 22 December 2025; in force from 1 July 2026 | New and existing sites. Electricity used in data centres, previously those with server power of at least 0.5 MW meeting energy reuse or efficiency criteria; energy tax 2.24 cents per kWh in class I against 0.05 in class II | No date published |
| Member bill LA 27/2026 vp: grid connection conditions for data centres (Electricity Market Act, new s. 20 d and 65 c) | National | Bill in Parliament; filed 1 September 2026, with the Economic Affairs Committee since 25 September 2026 | Grid applicants. Data centres with connection capacity of at least 1 MVA (flexibility terms); at least 10 MVA (new generation supply contract before connection) | No date published |
| Member bill LA 32/2026 vp: environmental impact assessment for data centres (EIA Act, Annex 1) | National | Bill in Parliament; filed 18 September 2026 | New sites. A data centre or group of data centres with combined planned power of at least 50 MW | No date published |
| EED reporting, Article 12 and Delegated Regulation 2024/1364 | EU | In force | New and existing sites. Data centres ≥500 kW installed IT power | 15 May 2027, next annual report |
| EED waste heat, Article 26(6) | EU | In force | New and existing sites. Data centres >1 MW total rated energy input | Ongoing duty |
| EED energy management systems, Article 11 | EU | In force as a Directive duty on Member States; deadline not yet reached | Enterprises, including data-centre operators, with average annual energy consumption above 85 TJ (23.6 GWh) over the previous three years, all energy carriers together | 11 October 2027, certified energy management system in place |
| EU rating scheme, delegated regulation adopted 21 Sep 2026 | EU | Adopted, in Parliament and Council scrutiny | New and existing sites. Same ≥500 kW reporting population | In force 20 days after Official Journal publication, if not objected to |
| EU minimum performance standards | EU | Consultation open | Not yet defined | 14 December 2026, consultation closes |
| Cloud and AI Development Act, COM(2026) 502 | EU | Proposal, with Parliament and Council | Cloud and AI infrastructure providers broadly | No fixed date |
Finland in detail
What the national rules say, with the legal texts.
Finland's Energy Efficiency Act, section 29 e, requires a data centre with total power above 1 MW to use its waste heat. An existing one that uses none must show by cost-benefit analysis that use is not feasible; first notices to Energiavirasto are due by 31 December 2027. Section 27 b requires one before building or significantly upgrading such a site. Owners or operators of data centres with at least 500 kW of installed IT power must publish their province (section 29 f). Since 1 July 2026 data centre electricity pays the class I energy tax of 2.24 cents per kWh, not the class II 0.05. Two member bills on grid connection and impact assessment are before Parliament.
Dates to watch
The next dates for Finland and the EU, soonest first.
- 14 Dec 2026The EU Commission's minimum performance standards consultation and call for evidence closes
- 15 May 2027EU database due every year
- 11 Oct 2027EU deadline under Article 11 of the Energy Efficiency Directive for a certified energy management system at enterprises above 85 TJ (23.6 GWh) of annual energy consumption
- 31 Dec 2027First notices due to Finland's Energiavirasto from existing data centres above 1 MW that use no waste heat
Formal refusals and bans since 2025
Verified decisions only. Absence is not evidence of low planning risk.
Decisions on single sites
- 28 Sep 2026Pyhäjoki Municipal board declined to start the zoning planStatus not confirmed
Decisions from 1 Jan 2025; statuses checked 11 Oct 2026.
What changed
Every change to these rules on the tracker, newest first.
- 18 Oct 2026Added to the tracker: EED energy management systems, Article 11 (In force as a Directive duty on Member States; deadline not yet reached).
- 15 Oct 2026Added to the tracker: Energy Efficiency Act (1429/2014) s. 29 e: use of data centre waste heat (In force since 1 January 2026 (Act 1382/2025)).
- 15 Oct 2026Added to the tracker: Energy Efficiency Act s. 27 b, 28 and 29: cost-benefit analysis for new or significantly upgraded data centres (In force since 1 January 2026 (Act 1382/2025)).
- 15 Oct 2026Added to the tracker: Energy Efficiency Act s. 29 f: data centre information (Act 846/2024) (In force since 30 December 2024).
- 15 Oct 2026Added to the tracker: Energy Efficiency Act s. 29 g: Energiavirasto as competent authority for Delegated Regulation (EU) 2024/1364 (In force since 1 January 2026 (Act 1382/2025)).
- 15 Oct 2026Added to the tracker: Act 1352/2025 (HE 156/2025): data centre electricity moved from tax class II to class I (Enacted 22 December 2025; in force from 1 July 2026).
- 15 Oct 2026Added to the tracker: Member bill LA 27/2026 vp: grid connection conditions for data centres (Electricity Market Act, new s. 20 d and 65 c) (Bill in Parliament; filed 1 September 2026, with the Economic Affairs Committee since 25 September 2026).
- 15 Oct 2026Added to the tracker: Member bill LA 32/2026 vp: environmental impact assessment for data centres (EIA Act, Annex 1) (Bill in Parliament; filed 18 September 2026).
Get an alert for Finland
We write to this list when a rule here changes status or a date moves, usually within a week of the change appearing in the log above. Nothing else, and your address is never shared.
Questions
Which rules apply to a data centre in Finland?
Our tracker lists 13 rules for building and running a data centre in Finland, national and EU, and 7 of them are in force.
What is the next date for data centre rules in Finland?
The next date is 14 Dec 2026: the EU Commission's minimum performance standards consultation and call for evidence closes.
From the European data-centre regulation tracker, which cites the legal text for every rule. Data-centre market data for Finland. Grid connection for data centres in Finland.
Sources: EUR-Lex (Official Journal of the EU), European Commission, Finlex (Finnish legislation).