Finns this year has been encouraged to save electricity in more ways than ever, and Finns have also obeyed.

One big incentive to save electricity is the high electricity prices, which have already hit many wallets. In particular, those who have taken out a stock exchange electricity contract or an electricity contract valid for an indefinite period have already noticed the price increase in their bills, which encourages them to reduce electricity consumption as much as possible.

Read more: Electricity costs almost 51 cents at its most expensive on Thursday – HS’s graphics track the price of electricity on the stock exchange in real time

However, some Finns have previously concluded fixed-term electricity contracts that are cheap compared to current prices. The electricity company Pohjois-Karjala sejä (PKS) is now trying to encourage these people to become energy workers with a monetary reward.

The electricity company has started a campaign called Winter heroes, which can be joined by customers who have taken out the company’s fixed-term Optimi warranty contract. The campaign, which started on Wednesday, lasts for four months, during which you can get a maximum of 200 euros in credit from the accumulated electricity bill by reducing your electricity consumption.

The campaign is not aimed at new customers, because the refund is based on an electricity consumption forecast based on previous consumption. If the customer is able to reduce his consumption below the forecast given by the electricity company, he will be reimbursed five cents per kilowatt-hour saved for the part below the consumption forecast.

In the process when the electricity company’s customers receive a refund on their electricity bills, the reduction and timing of electricity consumption lowers the electricity company’s electricity procurement costs, says the business director of electricity sales at Pohjois Karjala elektro Tomi Turunen.

According to Turunen, the background of the campaign is still primarily the Finnish and European-wide energy crisis and the looming electricity shortage, instead of the electricity company’s finances.

“The incentive is socially sufficient electricity. This is our effort in a common cause, so that we can also get this customer group to participate,” says Turunen.

According to Turunen, the idea for the campaign came from the fact that the electricity company was thinking about whether saving energy with fixed-term guaranteed prices is of interest to those who buy electricity, because for them the prices stay the same.

“Many companies have tried to direct customers to spend less through communication, but our idea was to start with positivity and buy the savings and timing from customers.”

The campaign also aims to steer the electricity consumption of those who buy electricity with fixed-term contracts away from peak hours, when electricity is used the most and is the most expensive. PKS promises to double the monetary refund at the end of the campaign, if the customer manages to schedule the use of electricity for hours cheaper than the consumption forecast.

“There is an energy crisis in Finland and Europe and each of us is encouraged to save energy. The timing of electricity consumption is especially important,” says Turunen.

According to Turunen, it is a pilot project. The campaign affects a good ten percent of the electricity company’s customers.