The city of Helsinki, capital of Finland, maintains municipal services even in areas where private companies expect to have gained from liberalisation and contracting-out.

Electricity and heating services are run by a wholly-owned municipal company, Helsingin Energia. It runs the network in Helsinki and owns and managers its own power plants. Nine out of 10 households in the city continue to buy electricity from the company, despite liberalisation of electricity by the EU which allows them to switch to competing private providers. The company has also succeeded in winning some business from industrial consumers. Helsingin Energia offers lower prices than other companies, but also makes a profit for the municipality. Both consumers and the 300 workers benefit from the public accountability which municpal ownership provides.

For more information on the company > Helsingin Energia

For more information on the EPSU affiliate > JHL