Finland launches criminal probe of suspected environmental damage at Google data centre site

HELSINKI, Oct 29 : Finnish police said on Thursday they have launched a criminal investigation into suspected breaches of environmental law at the construction site of a planned Google data centre in northern Finland.

The project is part of a plan announced last month by Alphabet's Google to invest $15 billion in artificial intelligence infrastructure in Finland, which the US company described as its largest investment in Europe.

Authorities have said Tuike Finland, a subsidiary of Alphabet's Google, conducted forest clearing and drainage at a planned site near the town of Muhos before the environmental impact assessments required under Finnish law had been completed.

POLICE PROBE DRAINAGE AND WATER MANAGEMENT

"Based on preliminary information, there have been ambiguities and shortcomings in the drainage and water management at the construction site of Tuike Finland Oy's data centre project," police said in a statement.

"The criminal investigation will examine, among other things, circumstances related to these issues," they added.

On October 6, Finland's Supervisory Agency, which oversees environmental permits and assessments, ordered Google to halt preparatory measures altering the environment at Muhos as well as a separate site.

Google did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. Reuters was not immediately able to reach Tuike.

Google has previously said that it started preparatory works based on its understanding of the approvals required under relevant legislation.

FINLAND'S APPEAL FOR DATA CENTRE INVESTMENT

Finland's cool climate, low-carbon electricity and government endorsement of AI projects have contributed to making the country one of Europe's main destinations for data centre investments in recent years.

Finland, similar in size to Germany but with a population of less than 6 million people, has had less vocal opposition to data centre buildouts than other places, including in the United States.

Google has said planned investments in Finland include data centres, electricity grid improvements and clean energy and battery projects driving services such as Gemini, Search, Maps and YouTube.

Supporting Google's plan, Finland's Prime Minister Petteri Orpo last month said that the deal would be a boost for the economy, playing down concerns it would suck up energy and push up power prices.