Confirmed in parliament on the proposal of Jyrki Katainen’s government in 2014
When the simple was made complex and expensive
It has become expensive for customers, but in addition to that, civil servants and MPs have spent thousands of working hours to find ways to fix the problems brought by the law. But no one has wanted to deal with the actual cause of the problem.
In Finland, you can make a legal initiative if you collect 50,000 names. If Finland had a similar constitution to Switzerland, by collecting 50,000 names you could also demand a referendum to repeal the Electricity Market Act. And it should be organized.
Background
In Finland, electricity was usually sold by municipal electricity facilities for decades. They bought electricity from the electricity producer with multi-year contracts. They were also responsible for the electricity grid. The price of electricity also remained stable.
In 2013, this changed significantly. The majority of the Parliament brought the Electricity Market Act into force. It separated electricity sales and electricity distribution. In practice, the sale of electricity went to the stock exchange.
This also happened throughout the EU. In addition, an agreement was made in which the price of electricity would be determined according to the most expensive production method. Electricity is produced by nuclear power, coal and oil-based fuels, hydropower, wind power and gas. Because Europe has wanted to completely get rid of Russian natural gas and oil due to the conflict in Ukraine, it has raised the price of electricity significantly. It is also priced according to consumption. The higher the consumption, the higher the price.
The prevailing situation has resulted in electricity producers such as nuclear, hydro and wind generating huge profits recently. And at the same time great payment difficulties for other companies and households.
Usually, when companies agree on the price level of their products, it is called a cartel. It is prohibited by law. But in this case it has the approval of politicians and authorities.
Electricity Market Act 9.8.2013/588
Sähkömarkkinalaki 588/2013 – Ajantasainen lainsäädäntö – FINLEX ®
“Goals
The purpose of this law is to ensure the conditions for efficient, reliable and environmentally sustainable national and regional electricity markets and the internal electricity market of the European Union in such a way that good security of electricity supply, competitive electricity prices and reasonable service principles can be secured for end users. The primary means of achieving this are securing healthy and functioning economic competition in the production and delivery of electricity and maintaining reasonable and equitable service principles in the operation of electricity networks.”
With the Electricity Market Act, citizens were deprived of an essential basic security. Stable and predictable price development of electricity.
Authors of the Electricity Market Act
Katainen’s government (22.6 2011 – 24.6 2014)
Kokoomus (Coalition, Right-wing party) . . . 6
SDP (Social Democratic Party) . . . . . . . . . . 6
RKP (Party of the Finnish Swedes) . . . . . . . 2
Vasemmistoliitto (Left Alliance) . . . . . . . . . . 2
Vihreät (greens) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Kristillisdemokraatit (Christian Democrats) . 1
Prime minister
Katainen, Jyrki Tapani – Kokoomus
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Tuomioja, Erkki Sakari – SDP
Minister of European and Foreign Trade
Stubb, Cai-Göran Alexander – Kokoomus
Minister of Development
Hautala, Heidi Anneli – Vihreät
Minister of Justice
Henriksson, Anna-Maja Kristina – RKP
Minister of the Interior
Räsänen, Päivi Maria – Kristillisdemokraatit
Minister of Defense
Haglund, Carl Christoffer – RKP
The Treasury minister
Urpilainen, Jutta Pauliina – SDP
Minister of Administration and Municipalities
Virkkunen, Henna Maria -Kokoomus
Minister of Culture and Sports
Arhinmäki, Paavo Erkki – Vasemmistoliitto
Minister of Education
Kiuru, Krista Katriina – SDP
Minister of Agriculture and Forestry
Koskinen, Jari Antero – Kokoomus
Minister of Transport
Kyllönen, Merja Sinikka – Vasemmistoliitto
Minister of Economic Affairs
Vapaavuori, Jan Pellervo – Kokoomus
Minister of Labour
Ihalainen, Lauri Armas – SDP
Minister of Social Affairs and Health
Risikko, Paula Sinikka – Kokoomus
Minister of Basic Services
Huovinen, Krista Anri Susanna – SDP
Minister of the Environment
Niinistö, Ville Matti – Vihreät
Minister of Housing and Communications
Viitanen, Pia-Liisa – SDP
The information in this write-up is compiled from official / public sources.
In Keminmaa on 16 December 2022
Reijo lahdenperä
