The Finnish Licensing and Supervision Authority has directed Google to immediately suspend preparatory work at two datacenter construction sites in Muhos and Kajaani, citing incomplete environmental impact assessments. The order requires the company to halt operations by 23 October at the latest. Google faces potential enforcement proceedings and fines if it does not comply.
Tuike Finland Oy, Google’s representative company, has conducted extensive site preparations including tree removal, topsoil stripping, and road construction without completing the mandated environmental review. At the Muhos location, approximately 330 hectares of forest were cleared, while the Kajaani site saw logging across nearly 200 hectares. The environmental impact assessment process remains ongoing and is expected to conclude later this year.
Google stated it understands the concerns and acknowledges falling short of its own standards. The company indicated it acted in good faith under Finnish forestry regulations and conducted nature surveys while implementing protective measures for sensitive areas. Google outlined plans to advance landscaping and biodiversity initiatives, including tree planting across 130 hectares at Muhos.
Environmental conservation groups characterized the situation as reflecting systemic problems driven by intense market demand for datacenter infrastructure. Officials noted that rapid expansion timelines and limited municipal expertise may have contributed to the oversight. The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation described the Muhos site as having been reduced to a sand area, emphasizing the scale of environmental alteration that occurred during preparatory work.
The datacenters are part of Google’s €13bn investment initiative spanning multiple locations across northern Finland, responding to substantial global demand for digital infrastructure capacity.
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