National Emergency Supply Agency to renew preparedness arrangements for electricity production to ensure supply during serious crises

The National Emergency Supply Agency (NESA) is preparing a new reserve electricity generation solution to ensure sufficient electricity generation capacity in the event of serious disruptions and emergencies.

The NESA will launch a tendering process to find a partner to implement and develop the new reserve electricity generation arrangement.

The NESA’s reserve production capacities are based on agreements and other arrangements through which the NESA ensures that certain critical production capacities, such as electricity generation, are kept on standby and can be brought into service in the event of a serious crisis.

The new arrangement is intended to replace the NESA’s existing reserve electricity generation arrangement with Fortum’s Meri-Pori coal-fired power plant, which is set to end when the fixed-term agreement between Fortum and the NESA expires at the end of 2026.

No impact on the electricity market or electricity prices

Once implemented, the new arrangement will serve as a last-resort solution outside of the electricity market for safeguarding the security of electricity supply. The NESA will work in close cooperation with other public authorities to ensure that the new solution will not affect the electricity market.

The solution is not expected to affect electricity prices or the reliability of electricity distribution. High electricity prices will not, in themselves, lead to the use of the plants covered by the arrangement.

“It is important that all capacity operating commercially in the electricity market remains in operation for as long as possible. One of the criteria for our new reserve electricity generation arrangement is that it must not result in existing electricity generation capacity being withdrawn from the market or hinder the emergence of new market-based capacity,” says Director of the NESA’s Implementation of Security of Supply Measures Unit Aki Laiho.

Key functions of society are dependent on electricity. In the current security situation, we must ensure that electricity remains available, even in the event of serious crises.

The new arrangement can only be used to safeguard electricity generation in the event of serious disruptions and emergencies. It is not intended to be used to even out spikes in electricity prices or to meet flexibility needs related to electricity consumption or generation. There are other reserve and flexibility arrangements in place in the electricity market for such situations.

The generation capacity will be built up in stages

It is possible to connect several electricity generation plants to the reserve electricity generation system that is now being developed. Suitable plants include those in good condition that have previously been withdrawn from the electricity market for financial reasons.

The NESA is seeking a contractual partner to maintain this overall system by conducting a tendering process in the form of a public call for declarations of interest, in accordance with the Act on Public Procurement in the Fields of Defence and Security.

The production capacity will be built up in stages. The NESA and its selected partner will plan and put together a suitable set of power plants with sufficient electricity generation capacity. The partner will systematically maintain and develop the plants’ readiness.

For security reasons, the NESA will not publicly disclose information about the participating plants or any other details.

The renewed reserve electricity generation system is tentatively planned to be in operation from 2027 until around 2035.

The NESA has had a reserve electricity generation arrangement with the Meri-Pori coal-fired power plant since 2024. During this period, the plant has not been used for normal electricity generation, and it has generated electricity solely during test runs to ensure operational readiness. This arrangement has been a reserve for emergencies outside of the electricity market.

Further information

Aki Laiho, Director of the Implementation of Security of Supply Measures Unit, National Emergency Supply Agency

Petri Nieminen, Senior Preparedness Advisor, National Emergency Supply Agency

Enquiries and interview requests:

Johanna Kippo, Communications Specialist, National Emergency Supply Agency

Email: johanna.kippo@nesa.fi, tel. 029 505 1043