Four Scandinavian transmission network operators – Energinet, Fingrid, Statnett and Svenska Kraftnät – are working on the development plan for the Nordic TSO Strategy until 2030. The document focuses on the development of wind energy in countries and sector integration.

Works on the strategy started in autumn 2020. A webinar was organized in March 2021, followed by the official launch of a public consultation that ran from March 12 to April 16, 2021. Fingrid thanked all parties who took part in the consultation in the announcement. Operators are to take into account all comments when working on the strategy.

Scandinavian electricity system operators consulted stakeholders based on five questions to identify the main challenges related to wind energy and sector integration. During the talks, the operators also asked the parties to present their development plans. In total, responses were received from 11 entities – Ampner Oy, EPEX Spot, Finnish Wind Power Association, Fortum, Kemijoki, Nord Pool, Nordenergi, Shell, Statkraft Energi AS, UPM and Ørsted. Fingrid reports that the draft strategy has been well received. Stakeholders agreed that the main challenge is how the parties can participate in the electricity market throughout the energy transition. Another challenge is access to transmission capacity – that is, to infrastructure. There is already uncertainty about the development of the power grid.

The draft strategy presented in March indicated that wind energy is a Scandinavian source of electrification, but its volatility is a challenge. The Scandinavian country has great development potential and plans to develop ambitious zero-emission energy development strategies. Significant amounts of installed power to the grid can affect fluctuations in energy production, its prices and the stability of the entire system. The recipe may be the flexibility of the power system built with the help of, among others energy storage and connecting lines between remote areas.

The next webinar for those interested in the strategy will be held on October 15, 2021, from 9am to 12pm (CET – Central European Time). During the meeting, the latest version of the strategy draft and page presentations will be presented. The Finnish operator hopes to involve all parties in the preparation of the documents, as the assumed changes will affect many industries.

The final version of the Scandinavian operators’ strategy will be presented in the spring of 2022.