Finland Launches Criminal Probe Into Google Data Centre Site
Finnish police have launched a criminal investigation into suspected environmental law violations at a planned Google data centre construction site near Muhos in northern Finland. Authorities are examining whether Tuike Finland, a subsidiary of Alphabet-owned Google, breached water protection laws through forest clearing and drainage work before completing the required environmental impact assessments. The project forms part of Google’s planned $15 billion investment in Finnish AI infrastructure, announced last month.
Police said preliminary findings indicated potential shortcomings in drainage and water management at the site. Finland’s Supervisory Agency ordered Google to stop preparatory activities affecting the environment at the Muhos location and a separate site on October 6. Google has previously stated that it believed its preparatory work complied with the necessary approval requirements. The investigation is expected to continue into 2027, with police planning to provide an update in December.
Finland has become an attractive destination for data centre investments because of its cool climate, low-carbon electricity and government support for AI development. However, the expansion of data centres is expected to significantly increase electricity consumption, with grid operator Fingrid projecting a potential rise of up to 40% if all planned grid connection projects proceed. Google’s investment plans include data centres, electricity grid improvements, clean energy and battery projects to support services such as Search, Maps, YouTube and Gemini.
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