CompassForge Ventures, ecogrid.energy and NCC are partnering with Energy Park and AI-Ready data center development. They announce the launch of the "Ecogrid Energy Park" project, featuring a 37-hectare (92-acre) site with an initial green power capacity of 150 MW, scalable to 300 MW. The site is already zoned, and construction can begin immediately. The data center operator has not been selected yet. It is the best data center plot in Nordics now.
Ecogrid Energy Park will be a new international energy park built in Pori's Kupariteollisuuspuisto, the former industrial area of Outokumpu. The area is already zoned for industrial use. The site will host a large data center and a power plant, which will be part of the national grid's balancing capacity. The total value of the project is projected to exceed one billion euros. During construction, the project will employ hundreds of people.
The project partners are CompassForge Ltd, ecogrid.energy Ltd, and NCC Finland Ltd. CompassForge is responsible for property development in collaboration with NCC. Ecogrid.energy is in charge of developing the infrastructure, energy management, and optimization for the energy park, as well as collaboration at the local and grid levels.
Outokumpu has sold a 37-hectare plot to CompassForge Venture for the energy park. The area is bordered by Tampereentie, Ulvilantie, and Mastojentie.
The Ecogrid Energy Park will include an international data center and a reserve and balancing power plant using either hydrogen or biogas. It will provide the capacity required for grid regulation and support the national grid. Ecogrid.energy will deliver the services necessary for energy management and optimization within the park. The energy park will be environmentally neutral. The process heat from the energy park will be directed to the district heating network, capable of heating the entire East Pori area. The park may also open new energy services for surrounding commercial and industrial companies.
Seppo Ihalainen, a leading international expert in the field and project leader, describes it as one of Finland's top projects in terms of scale and capacity. He emphasizes that the site is among the best in the Nordics. Pori offers exceptional conditions for a rapid and green implementation, with construction possibly starting by the end of the year.
"For us at NCC, the Kupariteollisuuspuisto project continues our development initiatives in the Pori region. This project shifts our focus from residential development to industrial construction in Satakunta. The coastal region is undergoing several development projects and is attracting interest from players across different sectors," says Sami Nyroos, NCC’s Property Development Director.
The data center's electricity demand in the first phase will be 150 megawatts. Pori Energia will play a significant role in developing electricity transmission and utilizing district heating. The energy park will support the implementation of new energy projects, such as offshore wind power and solar energy. The project has the support of Pori’s municipal leadership. The landscaped buildings set within a park-like environment will encourage further development
of the surrounding area. Already there are plans to expand to a second phase in the future.
Strong Finnish Roots in the Project Companies
Seppo Ihalainen, the founder of Finland’s first shared data center (Ficolo’s underground data center in Pori), is behind ecogrid.energy. CompassForge Venture is backed by the Turku-based Virtanen Ltd, a real estate development company founded in 1928. NCC is a major Nordic construction company.
