In brief
Finland’s Supervisory Agency has ordered a halt to construction work at Google’s two new data‑centre sites in Muhos and Kajaani because the company carried out preparatory work without the required environmental impact assessment, including tree felling that cleared more than 300 hectares of forest. Google admitted the oversight and pledged to comply with the agency’s guidance, saying it acted in good faith under the Forestry Act and that biodiversity plans are in place. The agency has demanded an explanation from Tuike Finland by 14 October and warned that enforcement proceedings could begin if Google fails to comply. The halt comes as the technology giant plans to invest €13 billion in Finland, creating 37,000 jobs and signing a 22‑year power‑purchase agreement with Fortum.
Finland’s environmental watchdog has ordered construction to stop at two of Google’s planned data‑centre sites.
The move came after the authorities discovered that the company carried out preparatory work—trenching, tree felling and road building—without the mandatory environmental impact assessment required for the clearing of more than 300 hectares of forest.
The sites in the towns of Muhos and Kajaani form part of Google’s record €13 billion investment in Finland that was announced last month as the largest single investment the company has made on the continent.
The Finnish Supervisory Agency for Financial Markets (LVV) issued a notice that all activity that would “significantly alter the environment” be suspended by 23 October. Tuike Finland, the subsidiary that manages the project, was asked to explain its actions and outline a plan of compliance by 14 October, or face enforcement proceedings.
According to the agency, the work included removal of trees and topsoil, construction of site roads and storage areas, and modifications to ditches. Hanna Halmeenpaa, chair of the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation, had previously said that the clearing felled trees that should have remained untouched, prompting calls to halt work until the environmental requirements were assessed.
'We understand the concerns and have fallen short of our own high standards in this instance,' said a Google spokesperson. The company said it had acted in good faith under the Forestry Act, conducted nature surveys and put measures in place to protect high‑value environmental areas.
Google added that it is progressing long‑term landscaping and biodiversity plans, including tree planting across 130 hectares at Muhos. The company’s broader investment in Finland is aimed at expanding its data‑centre network and supporting services such as Search, Maps and the AI assistant Gemini.
The construction phase is expected to support more than 37,000 jobs and contribute roughly €3.6 billion per year to Finland’s economy. Additionally, Google signed a 22‑year power‑purchase agreement with Finnish energy company Fortum that covers up to half the capacity of the Loviisa nuclear power plant.
