Finland to propose electricity grid connection prioritization

The Finnish government is preparing a legislative proposal to address insufficient electricity grid connection capacity. The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment is drafting amendments to the Electricity Market Act, which would allow grid companies to prioritize requests for connection when capacity is limited. The proposal is expected to be presented to Parliament during the autumn session.

Environment and Climate Minister Sari Multala stated that the reform aims to balance growing electricity consumption and new production with limited grid capacity. The goal is to guide large consumers closer to electricity production areas and ensure the sustainable development of the power system. Multala denied claims that the changes specifically target data centers or would restrict their placement in Southern Finland, noting that capacity is currently more limited in the south than in the north.

Energiateollisuus ry has expressed support for the preparation of prioritization principles but emphasizes the need for simultaneous investment in grid development. CEO Jukka Leskelä noted that grid capacity is a key factor for Finland's competitiveness and industrial investment. He cautioned against creating a system that ranks industrial sectors against one another, suggesting instead that prioritization should consider the value an entity adds to the system, such as providing flexibility.