Electrical Contracting for Data Centres

Terawatt, part of Habeo Group, has participated in three data centre projects over the past two years. In some of these projects, Terawatt has carried out smaller work packages, while in one project Terawatt delivered the entire power distribution system. In total, companies within Habeo Group have participated in around ten data centre projects, and the group companies has experience working with both international and Finnish main contractors. 

Terawatt’s Project Director, Lauri Kokko, has been involved in the company’s data centre projects from the outset. According to Kokko, these projects generally have tight schedules, with particular emphasis on occupational safety, short delivery times and quality. They also require substantial staffing resources, so contractors must have access to dozens, if not hundreds, of electricians. 

Terawatt aims to be a data centre electrical contractor that carries out the on-site work in accordance with the agreed plans. Its scope can include all construction work related to the electrical system, such as installing and delivering transformers, cable containment and busbars, cabling, equipment connections, and low-current and automation cabling. Data centres also contain a wide range of automation solutions and systems, including video surveillance, access control and fire alarm systems. These are supplied by Terawatt’s sister companies within Habeo Group. 

“Many components used in data centres are sourced from outside Finland, including the chips used for computing. Electrical contracting itself, however—the on-site installation work and the organisation of work on site—is central to our business and expertise. We are a competitive option for all developers and general contractors. We believe that work carried out in Finland should be procured locally,” Kokko says. He also emphasizes the importance of Terawatt’s site management, which must remain attentive throughout the project. 

In data centre projects, the power rating in megawatts indicates the facility’s power capacity and, by extension, its physical size. For example, a smaller data centre may have a capacity of around 10–15 MW, while medium-sized and large data centres can reach 50–150 MW. Finland currently has data centre projects with capacities as high as 150–400 MW, and new projects are being planned across the country. 

“Large data centre projects are built in phases, allowing the investment to start generating returns sooner. One part of the facility can become operational while another is being built alongside it. Several separate facilities can be built on the same site in different phases,” Kokko explains. 

Data centres are typically built in areas with a strong transmission grid or at key nodes in the electricity network. These include former industrial locations that have hosted industries such as paper manufacturing. Habeo Group’s companies are located across Finland, enabling them to deliver projects further away from the Helsinki metropolitan area. Data centres typically require substantial power and cooling capacity. Finland’s cool climate significantly supports cooling and also allows waste heat to be used to heat buildings through the district heating network. 

When it comes to electrical contracting and design for data centres, the final needs and requirements of end users or operators may only become clear during construction. It is not unusual for plans to require changes while construction is under way—for example, when the end user requests a different server model. This directly affects the facility’s power or cooling requirements. 

“While occupational safety in data centre projects is managed through daily plans, electrical designs can also change almost daily at times. We know how to operate in a changing environment and can meet these challenges with sufficient staffing and capacity. Our job is to make sure, that all the changes will be implemented on site,” says Kokko, who is driving towards his next data centre site. 

Internal discussions at Terawatt emphasise reliable delivery, careful execution and documentation. A data centre must operate day after day. In these projects in particular, clients have called for reliability, speed and quality. Power outages and poor electrical connections are unacceptable under any circumstances, and operators generally want to avoid running a data centre on backup generators. Ensuring reliability means planning and documenting the work more comprehensively than on a typical construction site. 

“We have been involved in data centre construction from the very beginning and seen the entire construction process through to the final commissioning measurements which we participated. We know what these projects require of us and our personnel. Although their intensity makes them challenging, they provide us with work for years to come,” Kokko says, welcoming new projects to Finland. 

As part of the Habeo Group, Terawatt Oy can deliver all the electrical works required for a data centre. Get in touch to discuss your project requirements in more detail!