Finnish authorities have ordered a halt to building work at two planned Google data centres amid concerns over the clearance of more than 300 hectares of forest.
Google’s latest €13 bn (about £11 bn) investment in Finland—its biggest single spend in Europe—included new data centres in Muhos, Kajaani and Vaala, plus upgrades to its existing site in Hamina. The halt follows work on the Muhos and Kajaani sites that reportedly removed trees and topsoil, built access roads and altered drainage, all without a mandatory environmental impact assessment.
Finnish Supervisory Agency (LVV) chief environmental officer Tommi Muilu said the work “would significantly alter the environment” and ordered a suspension by 23 October. Tuike Finland, the company behind the projects, must explain its actions and outline its next steps by 14 October or face enforcement proceedings.
Google has admitted that it “has fallen short of our own high standards in this instance” and will follow LVV’s guidance. The company said it acted in good faith under the Forestry Act, completed nature surveys and had measures in place to protect high‑value areas. It also announced plans to plant trees across 130 hectares at Muhos as part of its biodiversity programme.
Finland’s cool climate and low‑carbon electricity make it an attractive hub for data centres, with cooling costs reduced by lower ambient temperatures. The expansion should support more than 37,000 jobs and add an average of €3.6 bn a year to Finland’s economy, according to Google. It has also signed a 22‑year power purchasing agreement with Finnish energy firm Fortum, covering up to half of the Loviisa nuclear plant’s capacity to help keep it running until 2050.
