Fortum, a Finnish company, is installing smart meters in its area of influence. This is a part of the project started three years ago to provide to all Finnish electricity consumers with a smart meter as it is established in the efficiency law approved by the Finnish Government in 2009. Up to now 610,000 smart meters have been satisfactorily installed. The law intends to convert the Finnish electricity network in a smart grid and progress in the development of a more sustainable electric network, and the change of the meters is the first step. Finland is the country in Europe more advanced in the implementation of a smart grid for their electricity network.
Esplanade in Helsinki during winter. Photo: Lauri Rantala (Flickr)
By the end of 2013 all meters in Finland will be smart meters and this will allow hourly measurements of the electricy consumption that increases the efficiency of the electrical system since it permits the users to manage and control their energy instantaneously.
The implementation of a smart grid helps to reduce the number and duration of the electric cuts, rises the efficiency of the electrical network and can help the consumers to reduce their electrical consumption. It also provides productive investments in the countries where the smart grid is deployed due to the need to procure specialized items.
The installation of all the new smart meters have represented a large investment for a medium size company as Fortum, with an anual turnover of 6,000 M€ and with 10,000 employees, in 2012. This investment has triggered 200 new employees in the company.
This is a good example that the introduction of a smart grid in the modern electricity networks is possible if the legislators and governments act accordingly and regulate the sector. In many other european countries the implementation it does not exist or is being introduced by the only initiative of the utility companies and therefore is merely testimonial and not something that the vast majority of users can benefit.