Wet and heavy snow leaves thousands of households without electricity
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Over 3,000 households were without electricity in several areas of Finland yesterday as wet snowfall caused new damage whilst the previous faults were still being fixed. However, the blackouts lasted only a couple of hours in most districts, and electricity was cut off from fewer households than had occurred during the weekend.
Central Finland was the region most affected by the snowfall and early on Monday evening some 1,500 Vattenfall customers remained without electricity to the north of Jyväskylä.
"There has been heavy snowfall and consequently the snow load has increased. We have managed to repair the damage that occurred during the weekend and we are currently fixing the new faults", said operating manager Markku Vänskä from Vattenfall.
In the Tampere region further west, nearly 1,000 households were blacked out, and in Eastern and Northern Finland hundreds of homes were also without power during Monday afternoon.
"It has continued to snow and trees are falling on the power lines. Furthermore, the temperature is close to 0౨C, which causes the snow load situation to be the worst possible", reports Pekka Miettinen from electricity utility Savon Voima.
Hundreds of homes were temporarily cut off from electricity in the Mikkeli area in Eastern Finland yesterday.
According to engineer Hannu Rautio from Suur-Savon Sähkö, all households now have electricity and the situation is currently looking rather better, as the temperature has dropped and the snow has become lighter. However, if the temperature rises towards zero, the snow will become heavier again and could cause some serious problems.
Electricity generating companies sent out field patrols yesterday to clear fallen trees and to fell timber in order to further prevent power line damage brought about by the heavy snow. The companies have reported that any future outlook depends on more snowfall.
During the weekend, over 6,000 households were without electricity in Northern Finland. The damage caused to trees by the massive snowload is not only affecting households and electricity consumers: forestry experts warn that conditions are likely to hurt owners of woodland, as the crowns of many trees have broken off under the weight of soft, wet snow.
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 3.1.2006 - TODAY |
 Wet and heavy snow leaves thousands of households without electricity |
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