50,000 signatories call for tighter data center controls in Finland

A citizens' initiative urging tighter data center controls in Finland reached the required 50,000 signatures on Friday, according to broadcaster Yle.

The petition, which was launched on Tuesday, is expected to proceed to parliament to be debated by lawmakers.

The initiative came following a Google announcement last week that it would expand its data center operations in Finland over the coming years.

The signatories called on the government to impose conditions on data centers' connection to and operation within Finland's electricity grid, "taking into account the electricity grid's capacity, mandatory backup power, and the utilisation of waste heat."

They also called for the introduction of a separate data center fee based on the "environmental harm caused by operations and the resources used (including electricity, water, land use)."

The initiative said the measures would help keep energy prices affordable for households and other industries.