Frequently asked questions

The price of electricity is currently higher than usual, which means that households have to enter into electricity contracts at unusually high prices. It is a good idea to compare the prices and contract types of different providers, because their offers can change very quickly.

You can choose between a non-fixed-term contract, a fixed-term contract, or an hourly-rated contract where the price varies based on the current market price of the power exchange. In addition, there are contract types where, for example, you pay a different price during the day and during the night, although these types of contracts might not be available at the moment.

When choosing a contract type, consider when your household typically uses the most electricity and whether you can reschedule some of your electricity-consuming activities based on an hourly price. Also consider whether it is important for you to ensure the price of electricity in advance or whether you prefer flexible pricing which may involve rapid changes to the price. Due to the exceptional global situation, many energy companies may currently offer only hourly-rated or non-fixed-term contracts, which means that there are fewer choices available than normal.

More information on electricity contracts, comparing prices, and selecting a contract type:
Information for consumers (Energy Authority) 
Frequently asked questions on the Electricity Price Comparison website (Energy Authority)
Electricity price comparison 
Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority’s information on electricity

The best way to save energy is to know how much energy you use and when you use it. Research has shown that households who actively monitor their own electricity consumption and change their consumption habits save 10 per cent of electricity during winter months.

Most energy companies offer their customers a monitoring service for electricity and district heating consumption. You can monitor your electricity consumption on an hourly, weekly, monthly, or annual basis.

For example, the customers of Väre can monitor their electricity consumption using the Väppi app  (also available as a browser-based version). Electricity consumption can also be monitored through the Fingrid Datahub customer portal. You can log in to the service through Suomi.fi authentication using your online banking credentials or a mobile ID.

Roughly speaking about half of the energy consumption in a household is spent on heating, 30% on electrical appliances and 20% on hot water. These are also where the most potential for savings can be found.

For example, you can save on heating costs by paying attention to the indoor temperatures of your home: the recommended temperature is 20–21 degrees for living spaces and 18–20 degrees for bedrooms. Lowering the temperature by one degree means 5% less energy consumption.

You should also check the temperatures of your refrigerators and freezers. A suitable temperature for a refrigerator is 2–6 degrees, a freezer is fine at -18 degrees. Always turn off TVs, computers and other devices when they are not used, and keep in mind that having a device on standby mode also consumes electricity. Always disconnect chargers from the mains after charging. Always load your washing machine or dishwasher to full capacity before turning it on. You can also save money in cooking by making several dishes at a time in the oven and making use of the oven’s residual heat.

The heating of water consumes energy, so pay attention to how much hot water you use. Most of the hot water in a household is used for washing. Try to keep your showers short. Also avoid running water from taps unnecessarily.

More information on the topic:
Down a Degree website, tips for saving energy.
Saving energy is preparedness (Motiva, in Finnish)

Interruptions in electricity distribution are possible when consumption exceeds the amount of electricity produced and imported. This may occur during long and windless periods of freezing temperatures or during disruptions in production and distribution. You can reduce the risk of a shortage of electricity by paying attention to your own electricity consumption habits, especially during peak hours and whenever the authorities or the energy company inform you of an impending shortage:

• • Reduce your own electricity consumption and reschedule it outside peak hours of electricity consumption (weekdays 8:00–10:00, 16:00–17:00, and 19:00–20:00).
  • Download Fingrid’s Tuntihinta app (in Finnish) to monitor the price of electricity, which fluctuates according to supply and demand.
  • Make sure that the contact information you provided for your energy company is up to date. This way you will be quickly informed of any impending power shortages or interruptions of distribution.
  • Read the instructions of the 72hours.fi website to prepare for power cuts.

Network companies offer their customers a text messaging service to receive notifications on service interruptions. You can subscribe to the service by providing your phone number on the network company’s website. Make sure that the contact information you provided for your energy company is up to date. This way you will be quickly informed of any impending power shortages or interruptions of distribution. You should also follow the news on the radio and local newspapers.

The City of Kuopio’s service areas and subsidiaries have compiled enhanced energy saving measures for the coming years and especially for the 2022–2023 winter season. These also include measures related to lighting.

The city is investigating, for example, the possibilities of turning off, dimming or changing the timing of lighting in streets and public areas in suitable locations and speeding up the upgrade process of control systems and lighting in streets and public areas. The city is constantly investing in new lighting technology in street lighting, such as LED lights and remotely controlled distribution boards. These measures help improve the energy efficiency of street lighting and make it easier to adjust lighting schedules.

At the moment, the new technology has been upgraded to around 16% of all street lights, and the 100% target has been set for 2030. Street lighting has mainly been designed with safety considerations in mind, and turning them off is not entirely unproblematic, as lighting is important in the vicinity of, for example, pedestrian crossings. However, the city is investigating locations where lighting can be safely turned off.

Street lights may be kept on during daytime, for example, because lamps are being replaced and the lights must then be turned on to detect broken lamps.

In the city’s premises, the lights may sometimes be on even at night and during weekends because some premises are used during those times. Users of the facilities have been reminded to turn off indoor lighting after they are done using the premises outside office hours. The city will also monitor the use of indoor lighting more closely in the future and reduce the amount of outdoor lighting in properties for the night.

The snow melting system of the pedestrian street and the market square is owned by the City of Kuopio. The system uses district heating produced by Kuopion Energia using combined heat and power production. This means that producing district heat also produces electricity. Therefore the snow melting system does not increase electricity consumption. If the system were operated using electricity, this would be a valid concern. The snow melting system allows for less gritting and machinery in keeping the surfaces safe, which means that the system keeps the surfaces in a better condition while helping avoid injuries caused by slipping.