Google was ordered to halt work at two Finnish data centers pending environmental review

On October 6, 2026, Finland's Licensing and Supervision Agency (LVV) ordered Google subsidiary Tuike Finland Oy to suspend building work on planned data center projects at Muhos and Kajaani until environmental impact assessments were completed. The suspension covered tree removal, removal of topsoil, excavation, quarrying, crushing, moving soil masses, ditching and the construction of roads and storage areas, with the halt to take effect no later than October 23.

The order landed a month after Google committed $15 billion to Finland — its largest investment in Europe, to be deployed through 2028 into data centers and supporting energy projects — in a country now dubbed the 'Texas of Europe' for its AI data-center boom. A Google spokesperson conceded: 'We understand the concerns and have fallen short of our own high standards in this instance,' while insisting the company had 'acted in good faith under the Forestry Act', run nature surveys and put measures in place to protect high-value areas.

LVV environmental department head Tommi Muilu said the works would change the environment in ways whose identification and assessment were 'among the key objectives of the EIA procedure' — the very procedure Google had jumped ahead of. Planning, measurements, soil surveys and other minor, easily restored measures were allowed to continue.

Physical works started before the environmental impact assessment meant to evaluate them was finished.

The works in question — land clearance, excavation, quarrying, ditching — are exactly what the EIA process exists to scrutinise.

Google itself admitted it had 'fallen short of our own high standards in this instance'.

Permits are not paperwork to be backfilled: even a $15bn commitment doesn't put site works ahead of the assessment order a regulator expects.

Google said it would follow the LVV's guidance and pointed to landscaping and biodiversity plans, including tree planting across 130 hectares at Muhos. Work not covered by the suspension — planning, measurements and soil surveys — could continue, but the two sites stayed frozen on the ground until the assessments were completed.