Finnish authority orders halt to work at Google sites — Al Jazeera
Finland’s supervisory authority LVV has ordered the suspension of preparatory work at planned Google data center sites in the municipalities of Muhos and Kajaani. The work must be halted until a mandatory environmental impact assessment of the projects is completed, Al Jazeera reports.
Review of forest clearing
The LVV agency, which is responsible for environmental matters, required Tuike Finland, which represents Google, to immediately stop all preparatory activities that could significantly alter the environment. The deadline for complying with the requirement is October 23, 2026.
The regulator is examining whether Tuike Finland cleared hundreds of hectares of forest in Muhos and Kajaani without the mandatory environmental assessment. LVV environmental department head Tommi Muilu said that trees had already been cut down in the areas, topsoil removed, roads and storage sites built, and drainage ditches altered.
Hanna Halmenpää, chair of the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation, told AFP that natural areas spanning more than 300 hectares had been cleared and, in her view, should have been preserved. Tuike Finland must provide an explanation and outline further steps by October 14. If the requirements are not met, the company may face enforcement measures, LVV said.
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Google’s plans in Finland
Google representative Sondre Ronander acknowledged the company’s shortcomings and told AFP that Google would study LVV’s findings and comply with the agency’s recommendations. He also said the company was working on landscaping and biodiversity conservation plans, including planting trees on 130 hectares in Muhos.
In September, Google announced investments of €13 billion in Finland’s digital infrastructure over the next two years to develop AI. The company described projects in Muhos, Vaala, Kajaani and Hamina as its largest investment in Europe.
Electricity concerns
Last month, Finnish opposition parties called for a national permit system for data centers, citing concerns over electricity shortages and rising prices. Google’s deal also provides for a 22-year contract to purchase up to 50% of the output of the Loviisa nuclear power plant, which is intended to help extend the plant’s expected operating life until 2050 instead of its previously planned closure in 2030.
