Working group to promote wind power projects in eastern Finland

The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment and the Ministry of Defence have appointed a working group to explore ways to coordinate territorial surveillance and wind power construction. The aim is to improve the conditions for wind power projects to proceed in eastern Finland. The term of the working group is 1 February–30 June 2024.

The share of wind power in Finland's electricity production has increased fast in recent years. So far, most of the wind power construction in Finland has taken place in the western parts of the country. Among the factors influencing the targeting of investments to certain regions are the needs of the Defence Forces and the limitations imposed by the territorial surveillance system.

The working group will prepare a long-term vision of the possibilities of constructing wind power in eastern Finland. The working group will provide an overview of the situation in terms of the development of projects in the region and describe the factors preventing wind power construction, taking comprehensively into account all causal links related to these. 

The work will also take into account previous studies on the topic and international experiences, as applicable, and the views of those working on wind power and other relevant actors concerning obstacles to construction and proposals for solutions in eastern Finland will be heard.

“It is clear to everyone that the needs of the Defence Forces must be taken into account in wind power construction. The important task of the working group is to explore possible ways to make the areas available to be used for clean wind energy production. We all stand to benefit from ensuring the security of supply in eastern Finland and the investment capacity of the Finnish industry,” says Kai Mykkänen, Minister of Climate and the Environment.

A particular focus will be on the following topics:

• technological solutions for territorial surveillance and their availability and funding
• possible alternatives for the compensation area model and consequent impacts
• long-term vision of wind power in eastern Finland
• observations concerning other reasons that may constitute obstacles to be examined as part of the programme for eastern Finland

Enabling wind power construction in eastern Finland will make an important contribution to the decentralisation of Finland's energy system and to maintaining the vitality of regions.

According to the Programme of Prime Minister Petteri Orpo’s Government, wind power construction in eastern Finland will be promoted in line with the recommendations in the report compiled by Arto Räty (15 March 2023), without compromising territorial surveillance and with due account for the legal protection of citizens. 

“In the times we live in, the vitality of eastern Finland is a significant defence policy issue. We must do everything we can to attract more investments, work and wellbeing to the region. It is important to thoroughly examine the obstacles to wind power construction and find solutions that take the different kinds of needs into account,” says Minister of Defence Antti Häkkänen.

Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, Ministry of Defence and Defence Command represented in steering group

The working group that has now been appointed is composed of a steering group and an operational working group. The latter will prepare the overview of the situation and proposals for measures to be presented to the steering group. Proposals for measures will be further elaborated on the basis of feedback from the steering group.

The steering group is composed of Timo Jaatinen, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, Esa Pulkkinen, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Defence, and Lieutenant General Vesa Virtanen from the Defence Command.

The operational working group is chaired by Riku Huttunen, Director General at the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, and the vice chair is Anu Sallinen, Ministerial Adviser at the Ministry of Defence.

The other members of the working group come from the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Ministry of the Environment, Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Finance and Air Force Command.

Inquiries

Timo Jaatinen, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 295 047 082 (chair of the steering group) 

Anu Sallinen, Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Defence, tel. +358 295 140 335

Riku Huttunen, Director General, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 50 431 6518 (chair of the operational working group)

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