The Briefing
- Work suspended at two planned data centre sites.
- Over 300 forest hectares cleared without environmental assessment.
- Google admitted falling short of its own standards.
Finnish authorities have ordered Google to halt preparatory construction at two planned data centre sites after the company cleared more than 300 hectares of forest without mandatory environmental assessments.
The Finnish Supervisory Agency (LVV) directed Tuike Finland, the local company managing Google’s projects, to suspend all activities that significantly alter the landscape by 23 October.
The affected sites are located in Muhos and Kajaani in central Finland.
According to the environmental regulator, the suspended work includes tree removal, excavation, topsoil stripping, and the construction of site roads.
The halt delays Google’s record €13 billion investment in Finland, which the technology giant announced less than a month ago.
The project is described as Google’s largest single investment in Europe and is designed to support the massive computing power needed for artificial intelligence services.
“We understand the concerns and have fallen short of our own high standards in this instance,” Google said in a statement.
The company maintained that it had “acted in good faith under the Forestry Act” and implemented measures to protect valuable nature areas.
However, Google is now required to submit a written explanation to the agency by 14 October, under the threat of enforcement proceedings and potential fines.
According to a report by the Iltalehti tabloid on Wednesday, law enforcement has started looking into preparatory activities at a location in Muhos.
Investigators are trying to figure out if there is enough suspicion of a crime to launch a formal investigation.
The outlet noted that the inquiry was triggered by a private individual who filed a request with the police on October 2.
Investigators are trying to figure out if there is enough suspicion of a crime to launch a formal investigation.
Texas of Europe
Finland has become a highly attractive destination for international tech companies building data centres, earning it the nickname the “Texas of Europe” among industry watchers.
Developers are drawn to Finland’s cold climate, which naturally reduces server cooling costs, and its abundant supply of low-carbon electricity.
During the planned 2027 and 2028 construction phase, Google’s investment is expected to support more than 37,000 jobs and inject an average of €3.6 billion annually into the Finnish economy.
The expansion also includes a 22-year agreement to purchase energy from the Loviisa nuclear power plant, supporting the facility’s operation until 2050.
However, the rapid expansion of these industrial facilities is facing increasing environmental pushback.
Hanna Halmeenpaa, chair of the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation, stated that “nature sites which should be preserved” had already been felled during the recent operations.
Public concern over the environmental footprint of these facilities is growing rapidly across the country.
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