Key facts
- Finnish authorities ordered a halt to building work at two planned Google data centers.
- Concerns were raised over the clearance of more than 300 hectares of forest.
- The Finnish Supervisory Agency (LVV) stated work was carried out without a mandatory environmental impact assessment.
- Google said it had "fallen short of our own high standards in this instance".
- The orders relate to preparatory work in Muhos and Kajaani.
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. The sites are part of Google's record €13bn investment in Finland, announced less than a month ago.
The Finnish Supervisory Agency (LVV) stated that work at one site was carried out without a mandatory environmental impact assessment and ordered measures that would "significantly alter the environment" to be suspended by October 23. Google acknowledged it had "fallen short of our own high standards in this instance" and would follow the agency's guidance.
The orders pertain to preparatory work at the planned data centre sites in Muhos and Kajaani, which included tree and topsoil removal, construction of site roads and storage areas, and changes to ditches, according to LVV's head of environment Tommi Muilu.
Tuike Finland, the company managing Google's data centre projects, has been requested to provide an explanation and outline its future plans by October 14. The agency warned of potential "enforcement proceedings" if the company fails to comply.
Hanna Halmeenpaa, chair of the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation, had previously told AFP that "nature sites which should be preserved" had been felled, and the group had called for work to be halted pending an examination of environmental requirements.
Google stated it had "acted in good faith under the Forestry Act", conducted nature surveys, and implemented measures to protect environmentally sensitive areas. The company also noted plans for tree planting across 130 hectares at Muhos.
Google's €13bn investment, announced last month and set to occur between 2027 and 2028, includes new data centres in Kajaani, Muhos, and Vaala, in addition to its existing facility in Hamina. The company anticipates this infrastructure will support over 37,000 jobs during construction and contribute an average of €3.6bn annually to Finland's economy. Google also secured a 22-year power purchasing agreement with Fortum for up to half the capacity of the Loviisa nuclear power plant.