How to prepare for a power outage as Soihtu’s tenant?

Housing, News / 18.11.2022

In Finland, electricity has recently been interrupted mainly by exceptional situations, such as storms and snow loads. In cities, for example, a cable break or a power plant malfunction can black out the electricity grid. In the coming winter, due to the electricity shortage, we may have to resort to pre-planned, about two-hour power outages to balance the load. Preparing for a power outage is one of the civic skills.

The operation of electric locks during a power outage

The power supply for the electric locking of the main doors of the Soihtu residential buildings has been ensured even during a power outage. The battery protection of the exterior doors of the apartments ensures that the apartment door opens even when there is no mains power.

Water usage and sewage

Water use should be limited to a minimum so that the carrying capacity of the sewage network is not exceeded when the pumping stations are out of use. The water temperature may also differ from normal.

• Do not flush the toilet during a power outage, but use a garbage bag placed on top of the toilet for toilet operations. Instructions for practical implementation can be found, for example, on the 72tuntia.fi website.
• Do not wash dishes or run water from the tap down the drain. If you have to drain the water from the faucet, collect it in a separate container.
• The temperature, texture or taste of the water may be abnormal, and such water should not be used.
• The temperature of domestic water heated by district heating in an apartment building can become dangerously hot if the valve that regulates the water temperature is left open just before a power outage. In this case, boiling hot water can come out of the tap. Be very careful when using water, even just after a power outage.

The energy company Alva provides more information about water use in Jyväskylä during a power outage on their website (in Finnish only).

Heat circulation and building technology

Heat circulation in the building’s heat distribution system does stop in the planned power outages. Because the stone walls of the apartment building store heat, it takes a while before any actual cooling can be experienced.

In certain Soihtu’s properties, a risk of stormwater rising into the property has been minimized by safeguarding the discharge pumps’ operation even when the electricity is out.

Don’t go in the elevator

The elevators will not run during a power outage. There are instructions for each elevator which one should follow, if the elevator stops between floors or the doors do not open.

Keep the fridge closed

Fridges and freezers stop during a power outage, but airtight cabinets stay cold for a long time. When the refrigerator and freezer doors are kept firmly closed, the cold does not escape from the cabinet and the food stays good.

You may not be able to access the Internet

If the electricity is cut off in the entire residential area, Soihtu’s broadband network will also be cut off. The personal mobile network connection acquired by a resident of Soihtu may work depending on the extent of the outage and the verifications made by the operator. In Soihtu’s broadband connection, the trunk line and certain nodes are secured with backup power so that the network can be restored to use after a power outage as reliably as possible.

Remember to take care of your home supply stockpile!

Since shops and restaurants will probably also have to close their doors during a major power outage, you should make sure that you can manage without an external service network for a while. The authorities recommend that you always have supplies at home for 3 days (72 hours) as a stockpile.

• Have something to eat that can be stored in the pantry, and doesn’t necessarily need to be heated, plus a few liters of bottled water.
• Check that you have a flashlight or headlamp and batteries for them. A backup power source for mobile devices can also come in handy.
• Garbage bags for going to toilet in case of a water outage.
• A warm blanket or sleeping bag is good to have around, in case the power outage lasts longer.
• A battery-powered radio receiver for receiving information if the internet goes down.

Where can I get more information from?

In case you’re interested, you can update your preparedness skills with the instructions of the rescue authorities. 72tuntia.fi, built by SPEK and its partners, contains instructions for various emergency situations. There’s an English version available by clicking the symbol at the top of the site.

Finnish electricity grid company Fingrid’s Power System website has comprehensive, almost real-time monitoring of Finland’s electricity consumption.

Article photo: Illustrative image. Original photo by Jari Kuskelin

Updated 9.12.2022. We’ll keep updating this article with current information about preparing for possible electricity shortages.