Ministry The Economic and Employment Agency warned on Thursday that electricity shortages are unlikely in Finland as the country continues to experience extreme cold.
The ministry said the shortage could be caused by a combination of several factors. If domestic electricity production capacity is not sufficient to meet peak demand during prolonged periods of extreme cold, and if transmission or production facilities experience simultaneous failures. production and import.
Domestic production capacity is supplemented by imports from Estonia and Sweden.
Fingrid, the Finnish authorities and the grid operator have developed an emergency plan in case of power shortages. The national grid operator will ask grid operators to impose consumption limits that affect a fairly limited number of customers for a few hours at a time.
“Power outages will be carried out to the extent that socially important functions are not affected. This restriction will account for an estimated 2% of Finland’s total consumption,” the ministry said.
The prolonged period of extreme cold has put a strain on the power system, but the system is operating normally.
Nevertheless, the Ministry of Economy and Employment urges consumers, businesses and other electricity users to reduce consumption and increase demand-side flexibility to ensure sufficient electricity capacity and reduce electricity costs. We encourage them to do their best. On Friday, electricity prices on the power exchange are expected to rise up to 20 times higher than on an average day.
Fingrid also called on the public on Thursday to reduce electricity consumption during high-demand hours in the morning and evening, noting that Wednesday’s electricity demand momentarily exceeded 15,000 megawatt hours. Tuomas LauharaFingrid’s director said it was important for all electricity users to keep their consumption as far away from peak times as possible.
“Today’s tough hours are 8-10 a.m. and 5-10 p.m.,” he said in a press release issued just before 9 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 4.
However, electricity consumption yesterday evening was similar to forecasts, suggesting that few people heeded the advisory immediately.
The Ministry of Economy and Employment warned that low temperatures are expected to persist until at least the weekend. He added that the current cold snap is an extremely rare phenomenon and is comparable to the frigid winter experienced in the late 1980s.
Aleksi Teivainen – HT