Finland electrifies: Nearly double the number of new medium voltage connections are being delivered

Where do the green transition and energy transformation show? At least on the desk of the distribution company's expert. New electricity connections are constantly being requested as businesses and industries electrify their operations.

"Medium voltage connections usually require construction and reinforcement of the underlying electricity network. Therefore, delivery times have always been longer than in the low voltage network. Although we have had to reduce network development investments due to changes in monitoring methods and the demand for connections has increased from the previous year, the delivery times for medium voltage connections have not significantly lengthened," says Lauri Latosaari, Customer and Sales Manager at Caruna.

A medium voltage connection is referred to when directly connecting to a 20 kilovolt medium voltage network. Typically, this is necessary when the customer's power demand exceeds 0.7 megavolt-amperes. This year, 20 new medium voltage connection agreements have already been delivered, and an equal amount is expected by the end of the year. Last year, a total of 30 medium voltage connections were delivered throughout the year.

Latosaari works as the customer representative for medium voltage connections at Caruna. Over the past four years, the energy transformation has revolutionized his job description. 

"When I started at Caruna, we didn't receive this many inquiries about new medium voltage connections. Then the solar panel boom began when people quickly reacted to the rising electricity prices," says Latosaari.

Currently, the trend is towards energy storage, i.e., batteries. Several batteries are coming to Caruna's network later this year. Inquiries about connecting batteries to the network have come especially from the Southwest Finland region. Batteries help balance the production and consumption of electricity as renewable energy increases in power grids.

"We are asked for medium voltage connections for energy storage almost daily. I would say, as a rough estimate, that 90% of the inquiries are about batteries. The change has been incredibly fast. Especially battery inquiries have increased dramatically in 2024," says Latosaari.

The increasing number of data centers and electric vehicles also require new electricity connections.

"The electricity network is struggling to keep up with electrification. We should invest in increasing the capacity of the electricity network so that it does not become a bottleneck for the green transition. Unfortunately, tightening regulations mean that the anticipated network development investments needed by society cannot currently be implemented on the desired scale," says Latosaari.

The text has been translated into English with the help of artificial intelligence.