• Analysis
Google Datacentre Finland Investigation Opened Over Muhos Forest Clearing
Finnish police have opened a criminal investigation, the Google datacentre Finland investigation centres on the Muhos site in the north, where subsidiary Tuike Finland is alleged to have cleared and drained 330 hectares of forest before environmental impact assessments were completed.
What police are investigating
Finnish police have launched a criminal investigation into possible breaches of the country's environmental laws at the planned Google datacentre site in Muhos, rural northern Finland.
According to the authorities, Tuike Finland, a Google subsidiary, cleared and drained 330 hectares (815 acres) of forest at the Muhos site before the required environmental impact assessments were completed. In a statement issued on Thursday, police said preliminary information pointed to problems with water at the construction site.
"Based on preliminary information, there have been ambiguities and shortcomings in the drainage and water management at the construction site"
Police added that the criminal investigation would examine, among other things, circumstances related to these drainage and water management issues.
Earlier suspension order
The Google datacentre Finland investigation follows a suspension ordered earlier in October 2026, when Finnish authorities told Google to stop work at Muhos and at Otanmäki, about 100km to the south-east, after environmental impact assessments were not completed before clearcutting.
The Supervisory Agency, which oversees environmental permits and assessments, told Google to halt "preparatory measures altering the environment".
Campaigners and company response
Campaigners estimate the scale of the felling at 250,000 trees at Muhos and 150,000 at Otanmäki. A petition demanding more datacentre regulation and compensation for environmental damage has drawn more than 93,000 signatures.
Google's Finland country manager, Antti Järvinen, apologised for the clearings but said the company had acted according to what he described as "the best understanding we had of the legislation at the time".
The wider datacentre debate
- •The alleged misconduct has sparked a national debate on datacentre deals, and the issue could impact parliamentary elections due in April.
- •Finnish authorities are considering applications for 145 new datacentres at various planning stages.
- •Among them is a €13bn (£11bn) Google artificial intelligence infrastructure project, which Google calls its largest investment in Europe.
- •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".
Finland attracts datacentre builders because of its geopolitical stability, abundant land and cool climate, which should allow operators to cut energy costs. Critics remain unconvinced: Jussi Kangasharju, professor of computer science at the University of Helsinki, said datacentres bring limited local jobs and minimal national benefits - "Really, for Finland, there are no benefits".
The criminal investigation into the Muhos site continues, and the national debate over datacentre deals could impact Finland's parliamentary elections due in April.
