Exclusive: Finnish Utility Fortum’s Power Assets Targeted by Surveillance and Cyber Attacks, Reports Reuters

By Anne Kauranen and Essi Lehto

HELSINKI – Finland’s largest power utility, Fortum, has reported incidents of satellite disturbances, sightings of drones, and the presence of suspicious individuals near its energy facilities. The company has also been subjected to daily denial-of-service attacks, according to its chief executive.

Markus Rauramo stated that the utility faces various types of cyberattack attempts on a daily basis, alongside less frequent occurrences involving drones and suspicious activities around its assets. He mentioned that the satellite connections for their power plants were disrupted earlier this year.

Fortum, which operates hydro, wind, solar, nuclear, and combined heat and power plants, has requested Finnish authorities to investigate these incidents. Rauramo noted that the situation is similar for Fortum’s operations in Sweden.

The Finnish Security and Intelligence Service, as well as the police, have refrained from commenting on the cyberattacks or potential perpetrators. Similarly, the Swedish Intelligence Service has declined to address specific incidents or targets.

To counter these threats, Rauramo indicated that Fortum has implemented comprehensive measures, including strict access controls, private security services, reserve systems, and coordinated drills with authorities.

Jari Stenius, Fortum’s head of security, remarked that there has been an increase in the frequency of such incidents, as also reported by the authorities. However, he emphasized that the impact on their operations remains minimal.

The Finnish National Bureau of Investigation has confirmed that several investigations are ongoing concerning incidents near critical infrastructure.