Finnish police investigate forest clearing for Google data center in Muhos
Google has announced AI investments in Finland worth at least €13 billion. Work has been halted at two construction sites, and the scale of the clearing is disputed.
On October 29, police in Oulu opened an investigation into suspected environmental crime related to preparations for the construction of a Google data center in Muhos in northern Finland. The case is based on five notifications, including a request from Finland’s supervisory authority LVV. According to the police statement, preliminary findings point to ambiguities and shortcomings in the drainage of the construction site and water management. It has not been determined that a crime was committed. The police say more information will be provided in December, and the investigation is expected to be completed in 2027.
The site was prepared by Tuike Finland, a company owned by Google. Forest was cleared, the top layer of soil was removed, service roads were built, and the layout of drainage ditches was changed. All of this happened before the environmental impact assessments were completed, that is, the mandatory analyses of the project’s impact on nature and water. Reports for both locations are to be ready by the end of 2026.
Data on the scale of the clearing varies. Google and media outlets, including Yle (opens in a new tab), report about 330 ha in Muhos and nearly 200 ha in Otanmäki near Kajaani. Vertical52’s satellite image analysis (opens in a new tab) indicates vegetation loss across at least 647 ha (347 and 300 ha). Nature organizations estimate the clearing at about 400,000 trees, but satellite measurements cover area, not the number of trees.
In October, LVV ordered work altering the terrain at both locations to be halted, and Google confirmed the suspension. By November 5, the investor must present a water management plan, taking into account, among other things, heavy rain, snowmelt, and the risk of water acidification caused by sulfide-bearing rocks and soils. Google’s head in Finland, Antti Järvinen, apologized for the situation, as quoted by Yle, and assured that decisions had been made according to the best understanding of the regulations.
In September, Google announced an investment of at least €13 billion for 2027-2028 in Muhos, Kajaani, Vaala and Hamina, the largest in its history in Europe. Finnish grid operator Fingrid estimates that the planned grid connections, with data centers making up an important share, could increase national electricity consumption by as much as 40%. For companies using cloud services and AI in Europe, this is a signal that the pace of building new server facilities also depends on environmental permits and energy availability.