Electricity bills explained
On this page, we will explain what your electricity bill consists of. This will give you a better understanding of what you're paying for. Are you our customer? Log in to view your most recent invoice, invoice history, or other payment method.
Components of the electricity bill
Do you have questions about your electricity bill? Below you will find information about the different sections of the invoice. In addition to payment information, the electricity bill includes a breakdown of the electricity you use - you can also check how your consumption varies on an annual basis.
1. Invoice information: Your customer and contract number, Place of use identifier and address – in other words, where you have ordered electricity.
2. Your contact information: Your name and billing address.
Understand your electricity bill
Your electricity bills are based on the hourly consumption known at the time of billing. The electricity bill consists of electrical energy, electricity transmission and taxes. VAT and electricity tax are paid on transmission and electrical energy. The share of electricity sales can be independently selected and tendered, but the distribution is always handled by the local distribution company. The basic fee is a monthly fee. It is the same every month, regardless of electricity consumption.
The sale of electricity refers to the sale of electricity purchased by the electricity retailer. Fortum Markets Oy sells electricity to both households and business customers, and electricity is purchased from the Nord Pool electricity exchange and small-scale electricity producers. The price of electrical energy includes the costs of both the purchase and sale of electricity.
Electricity transmission is the transport of electrical energy through the electricity network to the end user, for example households and companies. The local distribution network company is responsible for electricity distribution, which owns the electricity network in its own operating area. The distribution fee cannot be put out to tender.
The total price of electricity consists of electrical energy, electricity transmission, electricity and VAT. Even if you have a variable price contract, you often have a fixed monthly fee in addition to the variable part.
A kilowatt hour (kWh) is a unit of electrical energy. It measures how much energy you consume. The origin of the electricity tells you which energy sources the electricity you buy comes from.
Parliament has approved amendments to the Electricity Tax Act and the Fuel Tax Act, as a result of which the security‑of‑supply fee included in the electricity tax will change in accordance with the Government’s proposal on 1.4.2026: the security‑of‑supply fee will be 0.09036 c/kWh (incl. 25.5% VAT). The price excluding VAT is 0.085 c/kWh. The energy tax component of the electricity tax remains unchanged.
Electricity tax from 1 April 2026 (incl. 25.5% VAT)
Tax category 1: 2.917875 c/kWh (until 31 March 2026: 2.827515 c/kWh)
Tax category 2: 0.169425 c/kWh (until 31 March 2026: 0.079065 c/kWh)
The change applies to customers in the Caruna and Caruna Espoo areas, for whom we also invoice the electricity distribution charge
Most households automatically fall under tax category 1. Tax category 2 may only be applied for by companies operating in certain sectors, such as industry or professional greenhouse cultivation.
What is the strategic stockpile fee and what does it cover?
The strategic stockpile fee is part of the electricity tax, and the electricity tax is collected on the electricity distribution company’s invoice. The entire amount is forwarded to the state. The electricity tax is charged based on consumption.
The strategic stockpile fee ensures that society’s critical functions (such as electricity supply) continue to operate even under exceptional circumstances. The fee finances, for example, the maintenance of reserve stocks and contingency planning.
Questions and answers
Why is the electricity tax increasing?
The Finnish government has justified the change by the need to safeguard the security of supply fund at a time when revenue from fuels is decreasing and funding needs are growing. The strategic stockpile fee is not a price increase by Caruna. The fee is charged as part of the electricity tax defined by the government, and its level is the same for all electricity customers in Finland.
Who is affected by the change?
The change affects all electricity users, regardless of distribution company.
What is the amount of the strategic stockpile fee from 1 April 2026?
The strategic stockpile fee will rise from 0.013 cents per kilowatt hour (VAT 0%) to 0.085 cents per kilowatt hour (VAT 0%) in both tax category 1 and tax category 2.
What does the strategic stockpile fee finance?
The strategic stockpile fee finances Finland’s security of supply and its development. It covers, for example, the maintenance of reserve stocks and contingency planning.
The electricity you purchase is transfered to your home via the local electricity distribution company’s network. The distribution company, or grid operator, charges for this service according to their own pricing model. Typically, the price consists of a fixed monthly fee based on the main fuse size and a consumption-based energy transmission fee. The distribution company’s invoice also includes energy taxes collected by the state. (In some cases, you can choose to have all these charges invoiced on the bill sent by Fortum, for example, in the case of Caruna.)
Transmission services are not part of Fortum’s business operations and are therefore not included in Fortum’s contract. However, when you sign an electricity contract with Fortum, our systems automatically send the information to the centralized data exchange system, known as Datahub, which confirms that the electricity delivery can begin. If everything is in order, you will receive a confirmation from us that includes the name of the local distribution company.
It is possible that you may receive a separate confirmation from your grid operator confirming the start of the distribution agreement. You do not need to contact the distribution company separately. However, before the start of the delivery, the grid operator may ask you to confirm the initiation of the electricity delivery. This is done to ensure that there is no risk of electrical appliances, such as a stovetop, being left on in a property that has been without power, which could pose a safety hazard.
You will receive two separate invoices, one for the sale of electricity and one for the distribution of electricity. Fortum will invoice you for the sale of electricity and your local grid company for the distribution part. If your grid network company is Caruna, you can receive a joint invoice for the sale of electricity and distribution from us.
A spot priced electricity contract follows the price development of the electricity market. If you have a spot priced electricity contract, your electricity bill will vary monthly depending on rises and falls in the electricity price. A fixed-price electricity contract, on the other hand, means that the price per kilowatt-hour remains the same throughout the contract period. If you choose a spot priced electricity contract, you pay for electricity based on the exact price at the time the electricity is used.
