Finland’s Licensing and Supervision Authority has ordered Google’s Finnish operator, Tuike Finland Oy, to suspend specified preparatory work at planned data-centre sites in Muhos and Kajaani until environmental-impact-assessment procedures are complete. The work covered includes tree removal, topsoil stripping and construction of site roads.
The order concerns activities that significantly alter the environment. It is not a cancellation of the data-centre projects. The Guardian reported that the suspension was to take effect immediately and no later than 23 October 2026; Finnish public broadcaster Yle reported that it remains in force until the assessments are completed.
Forest clearing reported at both sites
Tuike had felled about 330 hectares of forest in Muhos before completing an assessment, according to the Guardian. In Kajaani, logging covered slightly less than 200 hectares, the outlet reported.
Yle said Google confirmed those figures to the broadcaster, describing the Kajaani area as slightly less than 200 hectares, while assessments were still under way. The figures describe reported clear-cutting. The supplied reports do not establish that the forests were legally protected or that a crime occurred.
The authority’s action focuses on preparatory measures while the assessment process is unfinished. The available reporting does not specify a final determination about the projects’ environmental effects or whether all work at either site is covered beyond the measures identified in the order.
Google says it will follow the authority’s guidance
Google said it understood the concerns, had “fallen short” of its standards, would study the authority’s findings and follow its guidance, the Guardian reported. The company also said it had acted in good faith under the Forestry Act and had carried out nature surveys.
Yle likewise reported that Google intended to comply with the order. The company’s statements express its position; the reports do not describe them as a finding by the authority that its actions complied with the law.
Police begin preliminary inquiry in Muhos
In a separate development, police began a preliminary investigation into work in Muhos after a private individual made a request, Yle reported on 8 October. Investigators are assessing whether there is enough evidence to open a pre-trial investigation. The report does not establish that illegal logging took place.
Yle reported that Tuike had until 14 October to explain itself to the authority. The Guardian said Google had until the following Wednesday to respond. The accounts differ in how they identify the party expected to respond, though their dates appear consistent with the reports’ publication timing.
The two planned sites form part of a Google investment in Finland valued at €13 billion, according to the Guardian. The reported figure provides context for the projects, while the authority’s order remains limited to suspending specified preparatory work pending completion of environmental assessments.