New balance service model introduced on 1 January 2009

A new Nordic balance service model was introduced at the beginning of 2009 in Finland, Sweden and Denmark. This reform will harmonise the rules of balance power trade in the Nordic countries. The main changes include the handling of electricity balances in two different balances – production and consumption balance – and the harmonisation of costs included in balance service. A so-called two-price model is applied to the balance deviation in the production balance, and a single-price model is applied to the balance deviation in the consumption balance. Another major change was that production plans and regulating power bids now must be submitted 45 minutes before the beginning of each hour. The introduction of the new model involved considerable information system changes for nation-wide balance settlement in Finland, for example the launching of a new Extranet service for the balance providers. Fingrid and the balance providers will sign balance service agreements for 2009 and 2010. The number of balance providers operating in Finland grew by one, with the total number now being 26.   Further information: Balance Service Manager Pasi Aho, tel. +358 (0)30 395 5262 or +358 (0)400 778 417