Finland's Supervisory Agency (LVV) has ordered a halt to construction work at two planned Google data centre sites, in Muhos and Kajaani, after finding that preparatory work there was carried out without a mandatory environmental impact assessment, according to a BBC report. The sites are part of Google's previously announced €13bn ($15bn) investment in Finnish infrastructure, which the company has called its largest single investment in Europe.
LVV's head of environment, Tommi Muilu, said work at the sites included removing trees and topsoil, building site roads and storage areas, and altering ditches. The agency ordered that any measures that would "significantly alter the environment" be suspended by October 23, and it has given Tuike Finland, the company behind the projects, until October 14 to explain how it intends to proceed. The agency said it could begin "enforcement proceedings" if the company does not comply.
The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation had previously called for work to be halted while environmental requirements were examined, with its chair, Hanna Halmeenpaa, saying "nature sites which should be preserved" had been felled.
In a statement to the BBC, Google said: "We understand the concerns and have fallen short of our own high standards in this instance." The company said it had "acted in good faith under the Forestry Act," carried out nature surveys, and put measures in place to protect areas of high environmental value. It added that it is "advancing our landscaping and biodiversity plans, which include tree planting across 130 hectares at Muhos."
Google announced last month that it would invest at least €13bn in Finland over 2027 and 2028, covering new data centres in Kajaani, Muhos and Vaala alongside investment in its existing Hamina facility. The company has said the construction phase would support more than 37,000 jobs and contribute an average of €3.6bn a year to Finland's economy. As part of its Finnish expansion, Google also signed a 22-year power purchase agreement with Fortum covering up to half the capacity of the Loviisa nuclear power plant, which Fortum said would help support the plant's operation until 2050.