Finnish police have opened a criminal investigation into possible environmental law breaches at the site of a planned Google datacentre in Muhos, northern Finland, alleging that a Google subsidiary cleared and drained 330 hectares of forest before required environmental impact assessments were finished.
The investigation, announced on Thursday, follows an earlier order by Finnish authorities to suspend work at two sites, Muhos and Otanmäki, about 100km to the south-east, after the US company failed to complete environmental impact assessments before clearcutting the land. The Supervisory Agency, which oversees environmental permits and assessments, told Google to halt “preparatory measures altering the environment”.
Finland is attractive to tech companies seeking datacentre sites because of its geopolitical stability, abundant land and cool climate, which can cut energy costs. Authorities are considering applications for a total of 145 new datacentres at various stages of planning, including a €13bn (£11bn) artificial intelligence infrastructure project by Google that the company has called its largest investment in Europe.
“Based on preliminary information, there have been ambiguities and shortcomings in the drainage and water management at the construction site of Tuike Finland Oy’s datacentre project,” Finnish police said in a statement. “The criminal investigation will examine, among other things, circumstances related to these issues.”
Google’s Finland country manager, Antti Järvinen, has apologised for the forest clearings but argued that the company had acted according to “the best understanding we had of the legislation at the time”. Campaigners estimate 250,000 trees have been felled at Muhos and 150,000 at Otanmäki.
The Finnish government has encouraged the projects. In September, when Google’s plans were announced, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said attracting investment was a “top priority” and the deal would “deliver lasting benefits”. But revelations about Google’s alleged misconduct have sparked a national debate over what datacentre deals mean for communities, the environment and energy prices. The issue could affect parliamentary elections due in April. More than 93,000 people have signed a petition demanding more datacentre regulation and compensation for environmental damage.
Experts say datacentres bring a limited number of local jobs and the national benefits are minimal. “Really, for Finland, there are no benefits,” said Jussi Kangasharju, professor of computer science at the University of Helsinki. “They are international companies serving international customers. Datacentres ultimately have little benefit for others except the datacentre operator.”
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The case tests how far Nordic countries will go to enforce environmental rules against major tech investments that governments have courted.
- It could set a precedent for other datacentre projects in Finland and neighbouring countries where cooling and land are attractive to hyperscalers.
- The outcome may influence voter sentiment ahead of April’s parliamentary elections, with more than 93,000 people already backing stricter regulation.
Background
Finland has become a hotspot for datacentre construction due to its cool climate, stable electricity grid and political stability. Google’s €13bn AI infrastructure plan, announced in September, is its largest single investment in Europe. The company had begun preparatory work at Muhos and Otanmäki before Finnish regulators determined that environmental impact assessments were incomplete. The criminal investigation is the most serious step taken so far in a dispute that pits economic development against environmental protection.
Key Perspectives
Finnish police: investigating “ambiguities and shortcomings” in drainage and water management at the construction site.
Google (Antti Järvinen): apologised for the clearings but said the company acted on “the best understanding we had of the legislation at the time”.
Prime Minister Petteri Orpo: described attracting Google’s investment as a “top priority” that would “deliver lasting benefits”.
Campaigners: estimate 400,000 trees have been felled across both sites and are demanding tighter regulation and compensation.
Jussi Kangasharju (University of Helsinki): argues datacentres bring minimal benefit to Finland, serving international customers rather than local needs.
What to Watch
- The scope and outcome of the criminal investigation, including any fines or remediation orders.
- Whether Finnish regulators impose stricter pre-assessment requirements for future datacentre projects.
- The salience of the issue in April’s parliamentary elections, particularly if opposition parties take up the petition’s demands.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 11 supported.
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- SupportedFinland has launched a criminal investigation into Google’s forest clearing for a datacentre.World news | The Guardian: “Finland launches criminal investigation into Google’s clearing of forest for datacentre site.”
- SupportedAuthorities allege that a Google subsidiary cleared and drained 330 hectares before required environmental assessments were completed.World news | The Guardian: “Authorities allege that Tuike Finland, a Google subsidiary, cleared and drained 330 hectares (815 acres) of forest at the planned site in Muhos before environmental impact assessments required by Finnish law had been completed.”
- Partly supportedThe police, specifically, alleged that the subsidiary cleared and drained the land.World news | The Guardian: “Finnish police have launched a criminal investigation into possible breaches of the country’s environmental laws at the site of a planned Google datacentre in rural northern Finland . Authorities allege that Tuike Finland, a Google subsidiary, cleared and drained 330 hectares”
- SupportedThe alleged clearing sparked a national debate over datacentre deals.World news | The Guardian: “But the revelations over Google’s alleged misconduct have sparked a national debate over what datacentre deals mean for communities, the environment and energy prices.”
- SupportedAuthorities ordered Google to suspend work at Muhos and Otanmäki after environmental assessments had not been completed before clearcutting.World news | The Guardian: “Earlier this month Finnish authorities ordered Google to suspend work at two sites – Muhos and Otanmäki, about 100km to the south-east – after the company failed to complete environmental impact assessments before clearcutting the land.”
- SupportedThe Supervisory Agency told Google to halt “preparatory measures altering the environment”.World news | The Guardian: “The Supervisory Agency, which oversees environmental permits and assessments, told Google to halt “preparatory measures altering the environment”.”
- SupportedAuthorities are considering applications for 145 new datacentres, including a €13bn (£11bn) Google AI infrastructure project described by the company as its largest investment in Europe.World news | The Guardian: “Finnish authorities are considering applications for a total of 145 new datacentres at various stages of planning, including a €13bn (£11bn) artificial intelligence infrastructure project by Google that the US company has called its largest investment in Europe.”
- SupportedFinnish police said there were preliminary ambiguities and shortcomings in drainage and water management at the project site.World news | The Guardian: ““Based on preliminary information, there have been ambiguities and shortcomings in the drainage and water management at the construction site of Tuike Finland Oy’s datacentre project,” Finnish police said in a statement on Thursday.”
- SupportedCampaigners estimate that 250,000 trees were felled at Muhos and 150,000 at Otanmäki.World news | The Guardian: “Campaigners estimate 250,000 trees have been felled at Muhos and 150,000 at Otanmäki.”
- SupportedGoogle Finland country manager Antti Järvinen apologised for the forest clearings and said the company acted according to “the best understanding we had of the legislation at the time”.World news | The Guardian: “Google’s Finland country manager, Antti Järvinen, has apologised for the forest clearings, but argued that the company had acted according to “the best understanding we had of the legislation at the time”.”
- SupportedMore than 93,000 people signed a petition seeking more datacentre regulation and compensation for environmental damage.World news | The Guardian: “More than 93,000 people have signed a petition demanding more datacentre regulation and compensation for environmental damage.”
- SupportedJussi Kangasharju said, “Really, for Finland, there are no benefits,” and argued that datacentres offer little benefit beyond their operators.World news | The Guardian: ““Really, for Finland, there are no benefits,” said Jussi Kangasharju, professor of computer science at University of Helsinki. “They are international companies serving international customers. Datacentres ultimately have little benefit for others except the datacentre operator.””