Finland's environmental regulator has ordered Google to halt construction work at two planned data centres over concerns that preparatory work violated environmental protection rules.
The Finnish Supervisory Agency (LVV) said work at the sites in Muhos and Kajaani proceeded without mandatory environmental impact assessment. The agency ordered work to stop by 23 October and asked the company behind the project, Tuike Finland, to explain its plans by 14 October or face enforcement proceedings.
LVV head of environment Tommi Muilu said the work included tree removal, topsoil excavation, construction of site roads and storage areas, and changes to ditches across more than 300 hectares of forest.
The sites form part of Google's €13bn investment in Finland announced last month, described as the company's largest single investment in Europe. The plan includes data centres in Kajaani, Muhos and Vaala alongside expansion of an existing facility in Hamina.
Google said in a statement to the BBC: "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 high-value environmental areas. Google added it is "advancing our landscaping and biodiversity plans, which include tree planting across 130 hectares at Muhos."
The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation had previously called for work to be halted while environmental requirements were examined. Chair Hanna Halmeenpaa told AFP that nature sites that should be preserved had been felled.
Google stated the infrastructure would help meet demand for services including Search, Maps and its AI assistant Gemini. The company projected the construction phase in 2027 and 2028 would support more than 37,000 jobs and contribute an average of €3.6bn annually to Finland's economy.
Google also signed a 22-year power purchasing agreement with Finnish energy company Fortum covering up to half the capacity of the Loviisa nuclear power plant. Fortum said the agreement would help support the plant's operation until 2050.
Finland has attracted growing data centre investment due to its cool climate and low-carbon electricity, which reduce cooling costs for server facilities.