Finnish police have launched a criminal investigation into preparatory works at the planned Google data centre site near Muhos in northern Finland. Authorities said the inquiry was opened on suspicion of environmental law violations, with particular concerns about drainage and water management on the construction site.
The works have been carried out by Tuike Finland, a subsidiary operating under Alphabet. According to official statements, Tuike Finland began tree clearing and draining the site before the environmental impact assessment required by Finnish law had been completed. The police said preliminary information points to shortcomings and unclear circumstances related to water drainage and water management, and that these issues will be examined in detail during the investigation.
Before the police probe, the Finnish supervisory authority responsible for environmental permits ordered a halt to preparatory, environment-altering works in the Muhos area and at another related site on October 6. Neither Google nor the local subsidiary had responded to press enquiries by the time of publication. Previously, Google stated that it had begun preparations on the basis of its interpretation of the relevant regulations and that it believed it held the required approvals.
The contested construction is part of Google’s $15 billion investment package announced in September, aimed at building infrastructure in Finland to support artificial intelligence. The package includes establishment of data centres, upgrades to the electricity grid, and investments in clean energy and batteries, which the company says will support services such as Gemini, Google Search, Google Maps and YouTube.
Finland has become a key destination for European data-centre investment in recent years, helped by its cool climate, low-carbon electricity production and government incentives. In the sparsely populated country, local resistance to such developments has generally been lower than in many other states.
Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo welcomed Google’s plans last month, emphasising the deal’s potential to stimulate the economy while attempting to assuage concerns about higher energy consumption and possible increases in electricity prices.
The ongoing police investigation aims to determine whether environmental regulations were breached; authorities will focus in particular on the site’s water drainage and management. The outcome may affect the timetable of the project and the company’s local permits.
Related developments
- The Finnish supervisory authority ordered suspension of preparatory works on October 6, 2025.
- The construction is part of Google’s $15 billion Finland investment package announced in September 2025.
(An AI assistant contributed to preparing this article; the final text was edited and verified by our journalist.)
