Snow, cold spell to hit Italy over the weekend; Finns urged to limit power use amid cold weather

The above-average temperatures Italy has had so far this winter are set to end with a wave of cold weather and snow that is coming following a rainy Epiphany national holiday on Saturday, top meteorologist Lorenzo Tedici said.
“We’ll see real winter all over Europe for the first time in the week of January 8-14,” said Tedici of the http://www.iLMeteo.it website.

Meanwhile, power grid operator Fingrid on Thursday urged Finns to curb their electricity consumption during morning and evening peak hours after freezing temperatures lifted demand to an eight-year high.

“There is sufficient power capacity, but today and for the rest of the week it is very important that all electricity users participate in the consumption flexibility,” Fingrid said in a statement.

It added that peak hours usually were between 0800-1000 in the morning and 1700-2200 in the evening local time.

Finnish power prices hovered around 300 euros ($328.1) per megawatt hour on Thursday, more than three times the level in neighbouring Sweden.

The operator said Finnish electricity consumption temporarily climbed over 15,000 megawatt on Wednesday, its highest level in eight years.

“It now is important that domestic production and import connections from neighbouring countries function reliably,” Fingrid power systems Director Tuomas Rauhala told Reuters.

Finland is experiencing an exceptionally cold start to the year with temperatures ranging from -15 Celsius (5 Fahrenheit) in the south to below -40 Celsius in Lapland, according to the Finnish Meteorological Institute.

($1 = 0.9143 euros)