Russia cuts power flows to Finland Thursday, Friday due to freeze

Moscow (Platts)--20Jan2006

Russia is cutting power exports to Finland due to continued low
temperatures in Russia, limiting capacity by 400MW Thursday and 350MW Friday,
a spokeswoman with UES said Friday.
     Normal capacity for Russian power exports to Finland is 1,300MW.
     On Thursday, the cuts were in force from 1600 Moscow time (1300 GMT)
until 2300 Moscow time, while on Friday limitations were effective from 0930
Moscow time and will last until 2300 Moscow time. 
     It is not clear yet whether the reduced export capacity will remain on
the weekend, she said, but it was agreed with Finnish grid operator Fingrid
and UES' subsidiary Nordic, that reduced supplies may last for five days. 
     "There are no cuts of capacity on other export directions," the
spokeswoman said.
     Finland has met Russia's decision to cut export capacity during a severe
cold weather in Russia with understanding, and the move is not affecting
Finland's domestic energy situation, Kim Kronstedt, president of Finland's
Fortum Service said.
     "There have been no shortfalls so far, and no damage due to the
decision," he told reporters in Moscow. Finland was warned of possible
restrictions in power supplies from Russia and started using reserve
capacities, he added. 
     Kronstedt also noted there were no interruptions in gas supplies to
Finland due to extreme weather conditions in Russia this week.

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