The impacts of the Hamina data center as a research target - get involved!
Data centers are currently being hotly debated in the media. There are plenty of scientists for and against them. Eveliina Sinervo, a candidate of social sciences, decided to find out in her master's thesis what the city's residents, who have experience with the subject for fifteen years, think about the subject.
The debate about data centers is heating up in national politics, as numerous new projects are underway in our country. Some are concerned about the adequacy of electrical energy, while others complain that the center will not bring significant income or jobs to the localities. But what about Hamina? What do the city's residents think about the benefits and disadvantages of the data center? This is what a sociology student wants to find out. Eveliina Sinervo In his master's thesis, which is being done at the University of Lapland.
Hamina was selected as a Sinervo research site because the city is a pioneer in this field. After all, Google's headquarters has been operating in Hamina for fifteen years and additional investments are currently being made for the seventh time.
I want to find out how the people of Hamina see the data center as having impacted the city and their everyday lives. I am collecting information about the impacts residents feel the data center has had on, for example, the city's vitality, environment, image, and local development, and how the center has impacted the people of the community's own everyday lives. I hope that the people of Hamina will diligently respond to the survey, as each answer provides important information on the topic,
says Sinervo.The survey will take approximately 5–15 minutes to complete. Please participate using the link below:
Google's data center was established in Hamina's Summa in 2011 on the site of a former Stora Enso paper mill. Since then, several expansions and additional investments have been made. 98% of the energy used by the data center is carbon-free, and the heat generated from the center's cooling is directed free of charge to Hamina's district heating network for local use. The data center pays millions in property taxes to the city annually. Due to ongoing investments, corporate tax was not paid in 2024 and 2025. In total, Google has invested 3,5 billion euros in Hamina. The number of employees at the Hamina data center is currently around 500 people.