Google already has a data centre in Hamina, where it invested 800 million euro to convert an old paper mill. Paper firm Stora Enso sold the site, which is close to the Russian border, to Google in 2009.

Google said the existing Hamina facility was one of its most advanced and efficient data centres. Its cooling system uses sea water from the Gulf of Finland to reduce energy use.

The search engine has other European data centres in the Netherlands, Ireland and Belgium.

Finland country head Antti Jarvinen said in a statement that demand for Google services is growing daily.