Russia wants the opportunity to purchase electricity from Finland in the next few years. According to YLE News website, Russia want cross border grid lines to operate in both directions.

Finland is already preparing to deal with a possible shortfall in electricity supplies from Russia. Power from Russia currently makes up for 10% of electricity consumed in Finland. However, this could change during the next few years: increased consumption In Russia could lead to a shortage of electric power especially in areas close to Finland.

Russia now wants power lines connecting the two countries to be linked to its national grid to enable both the purchase and sale of electricity.

Russian officials have asked Finngrid to examine a technical proposal to allow the transfer of power also from Finland to Russia. Until now, power transfer has been a one-way affair from Russia.

Such an arrangement would permit Russia, under difficult circumstances, to purchase electricity from both Finland and other European generators. This could become a reality in as little as five years time.

The relative scarcity of electricity in Finland will ease once the new nuclear reactor at Olkiluoto comes on stream.

A Finnish-Russian working group is to be set up in August to look into dual transfer of electricity across the border.

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