Mikkeli, a city in Finland, has taken a significant step by instituting a five-year ban on the construction of battery energy storage facilities that are 2 megawatts or larger. The ban affects the entire city and is aimed at regulating the development of such energy infrastructures. This measure has been implemented immediately, although the decision is not yet legally binding. Mikkeli's city council stated back in February that they would tighten regulations around the construction of data centers and battery energy storage systems, indicating a shift in focus towards infrastructure that can provide more employment opportunities for the local community.

The city has plans for constructing a 120 megawatt battery energy storage facility, which would become the largest in Finland. However, the energy industry has expressed concerns regarding the length and scope of the prohibition. The Energy Industry Association, Energiateollisuus ry, raised questions about the unusual duration of the ban, given that five years is the maximum allowed under land use legislation for temporary construction prohibitions. Janne Kerttula, the director of the association’s energy systems division, suggested that a shorter time frame could have sufficed if the municipality aimed to promote regional energy projects without stifling development opportunities.