GOOGLE INVESTS 13 BILLION EUROS IN AI INFRASTRUCTURE

HELSINKI, SEPTEMBER 9 /SRNA-Reuters/ - Alphabet's GOOGL.O Google said it will invest at least 13 billion euros in artificial intelligence /AI/ infrastructure in Finland over the next two years and has signed its first nuclear power contract outside the US.

The Finnish deal includes a 22-year purchase agreement for up to 50 percent of the energy output of one of Finland's two nuclear plants, its operator Fortum FORTUM.HE said separately.

Nuclear power, as a source of large amounts of low-carbon energy, is one of the attractions Finland offers as companies including Microsoft MSFT.O and Google seek sites for data centres while containing energy costs and meeting climate goals.

Fortum and Google will also explore the development of new nuclear and renewable energy in Finland, the companies said.

Fortum's share price rose by 10 percent this morning.