Backman faces delays in electrical connections for new house in Närpiö, Finland

Simon Backman is constructing a detached house in Närpiö, Finland, but lacks electrical connections at the construction site. During the planning phase in May, he contacted Caruna, the sole electricity provider in the area. He had been informed that obtaining a connection would take two to three months, leading him to believe it would be in place before winter. Currently, Backman has to rely on a generator to power lights, saws, chargers, and heaters, costing him €2,000 per month.

In July, Caruna revised the timeline, stating that the connection would not be ready until the following summer—totaling 14 months of waiting. Backman criticized the company for exploiting its monopoly and urged political intervention against such practices.

Others in Närpiö are facing similar challenges. Anton Snickars wants to build in Norrnäs but has been told that securing an electrical connection will exceed a year, regardless of nearby connections. He expressed frustration over the lack of information about the electrical center’s location, which hampers his ability to prepare his construction site.

Caruna’s Deputy CEO pointed fingers at the Energy Authority for the delays. New regulations will cap the company’s returns to 7.4%, significantly impacting its revenue by €100 million annually and leading to adjusted investments. Despite the delays, Caruna maintains that they will construct 2,500 to 3,000 new connections this year, more than any other Finnish electricity company.

Amid these issues, numerous complaints have been filed against Caruna, with only their company experiencing extensive waiting periods compared to others. In response to ongoing delays, the government plans to shorten the connection wait time to six months in upcoming legal reforms.