Google data centre site in Finnish police probe

Finnish police said Thursday they had launched a criminal investigation related to the environmental impact of preparatory work at one of Google's planned data centre sites.

The Oulu Police Department said it was investigating Finnish company Tuike, which represents Google, over work conducted in Muhos in northern Finland. Police said the case is being investigated as environmental degradation, with possible additional criminal classifications to be specified later.

Police said preliminary information showed “ambiguities and deficiencies” in drainage and water management at the construction site. The probe was opened after a request from the Finnish Supervisory Agency.

The investigation is expected to be lengthy and completed in 2027. Police said an update would likely be provided in December.

Google announced in September that it would invest 13 billion euros, or $15 billion, in digital infrastructure at four sites in Finland over two years to support its AI plans.

In early October, the Finnish Supervisory Agency temporarily halted work at Google's data centre sites in Muhos and Kajaani until mandatory environmental impact assessments were completed. Tuike had already cleared about 330 hectares of forest in Muhos and nearly 200 hectares in Kajaani.

Google's Finland country manager Antti Jarvinen has apologised in local media for forest clearances at data centre sites and said the company believed the clear-cuts complied with the law.