On 3 October 2022, Turku City Board decided to introduce new measures aimed at saving electricity. These measures set an example for city residents and companies, aiming to get everyone involved in the energy saving drive.

Report on energy consuming practices and suggest new solutions:

 

Give feedback: Energy saving

The Russian invasion of Ukraine and the sanctions imposed as a result are increasing the price of electricity and other forms of energy. As the price of electricity rises and the threat of electricity shortages grows, the city should initiate effective measures to reduce electricity consumption. Turku is participating in these efforts by reviewing its own activities and those of its subsidiary companies and by encouraging Turku residents to save electricity. The measures often talk about saving electricity, but it is good to be aware that district heating also comes in part from the same energy sources.

Buildings owned by the City of Turku consume around 48 MWh of electricity per year, which equates to an expense of nearly EUR 6 million per year at earlier electricity prices. In Turku, long-term electricity-saving measures have been implemented over many years, and the city has committed to an energy efficiency agreement which has so far reached 75 per cent of its targets. This corresponds to a 10,290 MWh reduction in purchased energy, of which electricity savings account for 2,481 MWh. The rapid rise in electricity prices incentivises the city from both an economic and security perspective to further accelerate its electricity-saving measures.

Concrete actions to save electricity

The City of Turku is initiating a new wave of electricity-saving actions, with the City Board meeting of Monday 3 October approving, among others, the following measures:

  • Heating systems at the premises of the City of Turku will be adjusted to bring the room temperature as close as possible to the lower limit of +20°C specified in the Housing Health Decree,
  • the Impivaara swimming pool will only have one heated sauna per changing room. This exceptional arrangement will be in force from 1 November 2022 to 31 March 2023 and
  • the changing shelters of natural ice rinks will not be heated during the 2022–2023 skating season

City Board agendas and minutes (in Finnish)

 

 

The City of Turku also requires its subsidiary to take measures to save electricity. The companies have been asked how they have prepared for winter and electricity savings, what kind of energy-saving measures they could take, and how they can effectively schedule their electricity use.

In their daily work, the city’s own employees have also been instructed to give consideration to electricity-saving measures and take action when they observe practices that consume more electricity than is needed.

The electricity-saving measures have been designed in such a way that they do not compromise either safety within the city environment or the ability to react to dangerous and crisis situations.

The city is also preparing for a further decline in the availability of electricity during the winter, with these preparations including further electricity-saving measures that could be introduced. The subsidiaries have also drawn up plans for the coming winter to deal with the eventuality of continuing their operations during power cuts. 

Residents and companies playing their part

Most of the electricity consumed in Turku is used in households and businesses, so everyone needs to play their part if we want to achieve the greatest possible impact with the electricity-saving measures.

The price of electricity is determined by demand and supply, so reducing electricity consumption reduces the price of electricity not only for the person or organisation making the reduction but also for other users of the same electricity network. It is particularly effective to cut electricity consumption at peak times in the morning and early evening (weekdays 8–10 and 16–18).

The heating and energy-use measures implemented in pursuit of our climate objectives have effectively prepared us for the current situation.

The use of electricity at night is justified for household chores that can be taken care of at night and thus make use of low-cost night-time electricity. However, domestic work that causes noise or otherwise disturbs neighbours should not necessarily be shifted to night-time hours.

 

Energy saving tips for households and businesses

Turku residents and companies have already taken significant steps to save electricity. You can further reduce your electricity consumption by making use of the following resources: