The Finnish Energy Authority has introduced a new regulation that establishes an eight-kilowatt threshold for power charge contracts, requiring consumers to consider their electricity consumption patterns carefully. This limit will change how electricity bills are calculated, as the monthly power charge will be based on the highest hourly average consumption during the month. Although the limit was raised from five kilowatts in an earlier draft, various stakeholders, including the Homeowners' Association, argue that this threshold may still be too low for many consumers.

Iltalehti provides a practical tool that allows homeowners to understand the implications of this new threshold by calculating when their electricity consumption might exceed the eight-kilowatt limit based on the usage of various household appliances. This calculator showcases the average power consumption of commonly used devices, including water heaters and kitchen appliances, and highlights the potential scenarios in which users could incur additional costs due to exceeding the threshold.

This move by the Finnish Energy Authority aims to promote more conscious electricity consumption, as higher charges could encourage users to modify their usage patterns. However, the debate around the appropriateness of the eight-kilowatt limit indicates that there may be significant adjustments needed for many households to adapt to this new regulation, raising concerns about how these changes could impact lower-income households who rely heavily on electricity for everyday needs.