芬兰监管机构要求 Google 暂停两处数据中心施工

12.10.2026

Google must pause data center construction in Finland due to environmental concerns

Google will have to temporarily halt construction of two data centers in Finland. The company’s local partner reportedly cleared forest without an environmental impact assessment.

The Finnish authorities have ordered a halt to construction on two Google data centers in the country. The local company representing the US corporation reportedly clear-cut large areas of forest without waiting for the completion of an environmental impact assessment.

Google is currently building several data centers in Finland and plans to invest a full €13 billion in the building of server infrastructure in the country. The Finnish Licensing and Supervision Authority (LVV), which exercises oversight over the projects, last week ordered Google’s local representative Tuike Finland Oy to stop work in Muhos and Kajaani by no later than October 23.

As the authority explained, Google has completed “extensive preparatory measures” at the sites. Tuike Finland Oy has cleared trees, stripped topsoil, and built site roads and storage areas. The LVV’s review will assess aspects of the project that are likely to have a significant environmental impact. The review is still ongoing – and is expected to be completed later this year.

Clearing hundreds of acres of forest

According to news reports, the company has already cleared 330 hectares (815 acres) of land in Muhos. In Kajaani roughly 200 hectares (494 acres) of land have been logged. The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation reports that the areas have been reduced to “sand.” The group had earlier told media that the clear-cut areas were “nature sites which should be preserved.”

Tuike Finland Oy now has until October 14 to provide an explanation. Should the company fail to comply with the LVV’s demand, it could face a fine.

Google said in a statement released to media: “We understand the concerns and have fallen short of our own high standards in this instance. We will study the LVV’s findings and follow their guidance.” The company’s spokesperson added that it planned to plant new trees in Muhos.

Google building in Austria as well

Google has characterized its multi-billion dollar investment in four Finnish locations as its largest single investment in Europe. The data centers are intended to meet the growing demand for computing capacity driven by Google search and the AI assistant Gemini.

Many companies are building new large-scale data centers to meet the growing infrastructural needs of so-called artificial intelligence (AI). Finland is reportedly an attractive location for such projects in part on account of its cooler climate. Large-scale data centers have drawn repeated criticism due to their high energy and water consumption – the facilities need these resources to operate and cool their servers. According to the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation, the high demand is impelling companies to try to build data centers as quickly as possible. In some cases this can overwhelm small municipalities.

Google is currently building another large-scale data center outside the Upper Austrian town of Kronstorf. But the project has also drawn protests, above all because of the facility’s projected energy and water demands. According to news reports, Google has already applied for an expansion of the facility – which if granted could bring its energy consumption up to a fourth of the total electricity demand of the entire state of Upper Austria. Another source of criticism is that the water for cooling the facility would be taken out of the Enns – Google will be allowed to draw as much as 5.5 billion liters per year from the river.

According to media reports, the state government of Upper Austria originally determined in 2020 that no environmental sustainability review was necessary for the construction of the data center. But Austrian broadcaster ORF reported last month that a local lawmaker had requested a review of this decision – arguing that the diesel emergency generators that will be installed on site made an environmental review mandatory.

Moratoriums in the US

In Germany as well the facilities’ water consumption is a topic of debate: according to a report by Correctiv, one-third of the data centers already in operation in Germany are located in regions that experienced water scarcity in the summer of 2026. Federal Environment Minister Carsten Schneider (SPD) told the dpa last week that it is conceivable that in the future data center operators may have to pay more for water or be required to invest in water-saving technology.

Meanwhile, in the US, an intense debate over data centers has emerged. The number of facilities being built in the country is rising rapidly. The environmental organization Food & Water Watch estimates that by 2028, AI servers could be consuming an amount of electricity equivalent to the annual power needs of 28 million American households. The organization blames data centers, with their intense thirst for resources, for rising utility rates throughout the country.

On Tuesday of last week, San Francisco and Oakland approved a 45-day moratorium on the construction of new data centers. During this time, the cities will study the impact on the environment and on communities.

The state of New York imposed a year-long moratorium in July: during this period, state authorities will study the impacts of the construction and operation of data centers on the environment. The facilities’ energy and water use will be assessed, as will potential impacts on water and air quality. The state will also develop a set of environmental standards for the construction of new data centers.

And in Massachusetts, future data center projects will only be approved if they meet certain requirements – including that they use power from clean energy sources.

In December, Food & Water Watch was joined by more than 230 organizations in calling for a nationwide moratorium on new data centers in the US. (js)