Finland has ordered a Google-affiliated company to stop preparatory work that significantly alters the environment at planned data centre sites in Muhos and Kajaani while mandatory environmental impact assessments remain unfinished.
The order was issued to Tuike Finland Oy by Finland’s Licensing and Supervision Authority, known as LVV.
The company has been told to suspend the work immediately and no later than October 23, 2026.
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What Finland’s order covers
The directive applies to activities such as tree clearing, soil removal, road construction and drainage work connected to the planned facilities.
The authority’s intervention does not cancel the projects.
Instead, it pauses specified site-preparation activities until the environmental assessment process has advanced far enough for the relevant authorities to evaluate the projects’ effects.
The development has attracted scrutiny because extensive preparatory work was carried out before the environmental review was complete.
The assessment process is intended to examine effects on nature, water, land use, local communities, traffic and other parts of the surrounding environment.
Google’s planned Finland expansion
Google has announced a €13-billion investment programme in Finland covering data centre and related infrastructure projects in Hamina, Kajaani, Muhos and Vaala.
Google says the first construction phase, planned for 2027 and 2028, could contribute about €3.6 billion a year to Finland’s gross domestic product and support more than 37,000 jobs across the country.
Those figures are company estimates rather than guaranteed outcomes.
The company’s official plans describe Muhos as a data centre location still in development.
Google says the project is intended to support a broader circular-economy model, including the possible recovery and reuse of waste heat.
Why the Muhos project is under scrutiny
The municipality of Muhos said October 16 that it had not granted Google a conventional construction permit for the project.
Instead, the municipality said its building control officials had informed the company that certain preparatory activities could be carried out on its property under Section 109 of Finland’s Building Act.
Muhos officials said the municipality’s understanding was that the company had proceeded with those preparatory activities.
The municipality also said the Finnish authority responsible for environmental impact assessment was LVV, and that it could not comment on the actions of other authorities.
The municipality said forestry notifications had been submitted on time and that no identified nature sites on the cleared area had restricted the forestry work.
It also acknowledged that concerns had been raised about stormwater flowing from the site towards the Oulujoki river.
According to the municipality, local officials were informed of the stormwater concern in August 2026, and samples have been taken regularly.
The issue adds a water-management question to the wider debate over the project’s environmental effects.
What happens next
Tuike Finland must comply with the suspension order by the October 23 deadline.
The company is also expected to provide information about the work already carried out and how it intends to proceed.
The environmental impact assessments will remain central to the next stage.
Their conclusions could influence future permits, construction conditions, mitigation requirements and the timetable for the proposed sites.
The case also highlights the tension between Finland’s push to attract artificial-intelligence infrastructure and the country’s environmental review rules.
Google’s investment promises major economic benefits, but the projects must still pass through the legal and environmental processes that apply to large developments.
For residents, the immediate change is that major work altering the land at the affected sites must stop.
The long-term future of the projects will depend on the assessments, later permitting decisions and any enforcement steps taken by Finnish authorities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has Finland ordered Google data centre work to stop?
Finnish authorities ordered Tuike Finland Oy to suspend preparatory work that significantly alters the environment because required environmental impact assessments had not been completed.
Which Google projects are affected?
The order covers planned data centre sites in Muhos and Kajaani, Finland.
Does the order cancel Google’s Finland investment?
No. The order suspends specified site-preparation activities while environmental assessments and related regulatory processes continue.
When must the work stop?
The company must suspend the affected work immediately and no later than October 23, 2026.
What is Google planning to build in Finland?
Google has announced a €13-billion programme involving data centre and related infrastructure projects in Hamina, Kajaani, Muhos and Vaala.
Fact-Checked: Key facts were checked against Google’s project information, the Muhos municipality’s official updates and Finland’s environmental assessment information.
Disclaimer: The projects remain subject to environmental review, permitting and possible enforcement decisions, so construction timelines and final outcomes may change.