Google appears to halt groundworks at Finnish data centre sites
Thursday 8th October 2026 on 11:01 in
Finland
Google appears to have halted groundworks at its data centre projects in Muhos and Otanmäki, Kajaani, Yle reported after flying a drone over the sites on Wednesday.
Drone images showed machinery standing idle in neat rows at the Muhos site. No groundworks were visible at Otanmäki either.
On Tuesday, Finland’s Permit and Supervisory Agency told Tuike Finland, which represents Google in Finland, to suspend preparatory work that significantly affects the environment until environmental impact assessments for the projects are complete. The agency set October 23 as the latest date for the suspension, but the drone images suggest work stopped immediately.
An environmental impact assessment is required when 200 hectares or more of forest are permanently cleared. Google says 330 hectares have been cleared at Muhos and just under 200 hectares at Otanmäki.
The suspension request covers tree removal, stripping topsoil, excavation, blasting, crushing, moving soil, drainage work, and building access roads and storage areas. It does not cover planning, surveys, soil investigations or other measures with minor impacts that can be easily reversed.