Google Ordered to Halt Data Centre Works in Finland over Environmental Concerns
The order covers tree removal, excavation and road building, while Google said it will comply and plant trees across 130 hectares in Muhos.
- On Tuesday, the Finnish Supervisory Agency ordered Google subsidiary Tuike Finland to halt work at planned data centre sites in Muhos and Kajaani until environmental impact assessments are completed.
- More than 300 hectares of forest were cleared at the planned Leppiniemi, Muhos site while environmental impact assessment procedures remained incomplete, the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation reported.
- Tommi Muilu, head of LVV's environmental department, stated that tree removal, blasting, and excavation change the environment, requiring prior assessment before major preparatory work proceeds.
- Google will comply with the order; communications manager Sondre Ronander admitted, "In this case, we did not meet the high standards we set ourselves," while pledging to plant trees across 130 hectares.
- These projects represent part of Google's €13 billion Finland investment; the company must cease work by October 23 or face administrative enforcement, including conditional fines.
170 Articles
170 Articles
On Monday, 12 October, Finland ordered the suspension of the work of two huge data centres built by Tuike, a local subsidiary of Google. These projects are part of an investment of EUR 13 billion, the largest single investment of the American group in Europe in the field of artificial intelligence (IA). The Finnish authorities blame the company for having started the construction projects before the completion of mandatory studies on their envir…
Finnish regulator halts Google data center construction over deforestation violations
Groundwork has been suspended at two of Google's planned data center sites in Finland's Muhos and Kajaani municipalities following a directive from the Finnish Supervisory Authority. The regulator mandated a complete halt to all activities until a full environmental impact assessment is completed. Yle confirmed via drone footage that no construction work is currently underway at either location. The intervention stems from reports of extensive d…
The Finnish authorities have ordered Google to put a brake on the construction of two data centres on its territory, while Mountain View already admits the error: the companies that built the complexes seem to have cut down more than 330 hectares of protected forests.
Google has faced difficulties building data centers in Finland, with the country temporarily halting the project after concerns about deforestation. Environmentalists have criticized the hasty decision to clear forests without assessing the environmental impact. Residents also have questions about the noise, energy and water consumption of the construction. The billion-dollar investment, according to the local mayor, could “fundamentally change …
Finland Halts Google Data Center Work After Hundreds of Hectares of Forest Fall
Finnish regulators halted preparatory work at two Google data center sites after over 300 hectares of forest were cleared before environmental assessments finished. The €13 billion investment faces delays as the company admits falling short of its standards while pledging restoration efforts. The episode highlights growing tensions between AI infrastructure demand and strict land-use rules.
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