How atNorth Will Support Nokia’s Cloud Infrastructure

In an attempt to deliver high-performance infrastructure at speed without damaging environmental standards, atNorth has signed a 12-year agreement with Nokia to support its cloud infrastructure needs.

The deployment will span multiple megawatts, with the potential to exceed 10MW as demand grows, at atNorth’s FIN02 data centre in Espoo, Finland. 

The partnership builds on a shared commitment to scalability and sustainability. FIN02 data centre is powered fully by renewable energy and is crafted to meet high-performance, high-density workloads that are necessary for Nokia’s next-generation applications. 

Marika Mentula, Vice President for Network Infrastructure North Europe at Nokia, explains: “atNorth was able to meet our complex technical requirements at speed without compromising on our sustainability goals.

“By helping support our cloud infrastructure at atNorth’s FIN02 data centre, we can deliver high-performance infrastructure that supports our most demanding applications.”

atNorth and Nokia’s partnership

This 12-year agreement doesn’t mark the beginning of Nokia and atNorth’s relationship.

atNorth powers has powered its HPCaaS offering, which runs from its data centres in Sweden and Iceland, by leveraging Nokia data centre switches. 

This latest collaboration, however, will aim to support Nokia’s critical cloud infrastructure needs.

The deployment will cover several megawatts at atNorth’s FIN02 data centre in Finland, designed to accommodate high-density workloads that exceed 130kW per rack.

Earlier this year, Nokia was named the most sustainable telecoms and communications company in the world by Corporate Knights. atNorth and Nokia’s strategic partnership will mean Nokia can access the sustainable, scalable infrastructure needed to maintain its leading environmental standards while powering its most demanding applications.

Eyjólfur Magnús Kristinsson, CEO of atNorth, explains: “As the data centre industry continues to grow at record speed, it’s clear that businesses are increasingly seeking the full package—sustainable, secure infrastructure that can scale rapidly.

“Our longstanding partnership with Nokia, rooted in the hardware demands of our HPCaaS offering and built on a shared commitment to sustainability, is a testament to that. 

“It adds to a growing list of globally recognised companies that trust atNorth with their mission-critical data and rely on us to deliver best-in-class service.”

About the FIN02 data centre

atNorth’s FIN02 data centre in Sinimäentie, Espoo is set to be operational in Q2 2025.

It is atNorth’s third facility in Finland and combines advanced sustainability initiatives, such as a heat reuse system that supplies heating and hot water to the local community. 

The FIN02 data centre utilises Finland’s abundant access to low-cost, sustainable energy, reliable electricity infrastructure and strong digital innovation landscape. 

atNorth’s FIN02 data centre features:

Power infrastructure

• N+1 power distribution
• Redundant feeds at rack level
• UPS backed power
• Minimum 48-hour generator support with full load coverage

Cooling systems

• White space cooled with N+2 fan walls
• Modular compressors with free cooling capabilities (N+1 redundancy)

Security measures

• 24/7/365 on-site security
• Multilayer physical security and access control
• Man traps, intruder detection and two-factor authentication 
• Advanced surveillance systems and secure perimeter fencing

Connectivity

• Two Meet Me Rooms
• Three diverse fibre entry points
• Carrier-neutral hosting multiple fibre carriers

How else is atNorth boosting data centre sustainability?

Earlier this month, atNorth announced it had partnered with Kesko and Caruna to reduce emissions, advance energy efficiency and boost Finland’s circular economy. 

Waste heat from atNorth’s FIN02 data centre was repurposed to heat a local Kesko store. This will improve atNorth’s energy efficiency and help support Kesko’s goal of a 50% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions. 

atNorth also acquired a 45MW power agreement with Caruna Espoo Oy to help boost the energy stability of its FIN02 site. 

Kosti Rautiainen, EVP Customers and New Ventures at Caruna, says: “Data centers play an important role in the long-term resilience of Finland’s power infrastructure and its economic growth as a whole.

“atNorth’s investment in Espoo supports the development of a carbon-free energy system through innovative heat reuse partnerships and promotes local employment opportunities. We are delighted to play our role in this data centre ecosystem for the benefit of our community.”

What impact will this agreement have on the data centre industry?

This partnership will support the growing expectation that new data centre deployments must keep sustainability as a core focus

atNorth’s use of advanced cooling technologies, renewable energy and waste heat recycling showcases how high-performance data centres can lower their environmental impact effectively.

By installing infrastructure that can support workloads more than 130kW per rack, the partnership points to a wider industry shift towards high-density computing environments. 

These HPC, AI and cloud-native applications require more powerful setups, meaning data centre operators must adapt their cooling and scalability strategies to meet these changing clients' needs.

The modular and flexible design of atNorth’s FIN02 data centre points to a trend towards data centres that can scale rapidly without compromising sustainability or performance.

The atNorth-Nokia partnership showcases a strategic collaboration that is based on shared values such as operational excellence and environmental leadership. 

It will encourage other operators to ensure they deliver scalable, rapid and truly sustainable solutions to maintain their competitive advantage.

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