Helsinki, Finland – February 2026 – Fingrid Oyj, Finland’s national power grid operator, has deployed ABB REC670 1MRK002814-AC Line Protection Relays to upgrade the protection systems of 40 110kV smart substations across southern and western Finland. The upgrade, part of Fingrid’s “Smart Grid 2030” strategy to integrate more wind and hydropower, addressed critical limitations of the substations’ legacy relays, including poor cold-weather performance, outdated communication protocols, and insufficient protection for renewable energy connections. Six months post-deployment, the substations have achieved 99.97% protection system reliability, a 63% reduction in substation-related outages, and a 45% decrease in energy consumption—milestones that support Finland’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2035.
The Challenge: Legacy Relays Fail in Finland’s Harsh Cold and Smart Grid Environment
Fingrid’s 110kV smart substations play a pivotal role in integrating Finland’s growing renewable energy capacity—including offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea and hydropower plants in Lapland—into the national grid, distributing power to 5.5 million households and businesses. These substations operate in some of the harshest cold-weather conditions in Europe, with temperatures dropping to -45°C in winter, posing significant challenges for equipment reliability. Legacy line protection relays, installed in 2016, were not designed to withstand these extremes, leading to frequent failures.
Prior to the upgrade, legacy relays had a protection reliability rate of only 98.1%, resulting in 27-31 substation-related outages per year and 100+ hours of lost distribution capacity—translating to €3.2 million in annual revenue losses. Their poor cold-weather performance (rated only to -25°C) caused 18-20 relay failures per year due to component freezing, while their outdated Modbus RTU communication protocol made integration with the substations’ IEC 61850-based smart control systems impossible, requiring manual operation and increasing human error. The relays also lacked specialized protection for renewable energy connections, leading to 13-15 false tripping incidents annually.
“Our smart substations are the backbone of Finland’s renewable energy transition, but our legacy relays were holding us back,” said Elina Niemi, Substation Operations Manager at Fingrid. “They failed in cold weather, couldn’t connect to our smart systems, and couldn’t handle the unique demands of wind and hydropower connections. We needed a rugged, advanced line protection relay that could thrive in Finland’s winters and support our smart grid goals.”
The Solution: ABB REC670 1MRK002814-AC’s Cold-Weather Resilience and Renewable Compatibility
After a 10-week evaluation of line protection relays from ABB, Siemens, and Hitachi Energy, Fingrid selected the ABB REC670 1MRK002814-AC for its extreme cold-weather performance, IEC 61850 compatibility, specialized renewable energy protection, and low power consumption. The deployment was phased to avoid power disruption: first, upgrading relays at 6 substations during scheduled maintenance; second, training 50 substation technicians on relay operation, maintenance, and renewable energy protection; and finally, full rollout across 34 more substations over six months with ABB’s on-site support.
Key features of the ABB REC670 1MRK002814-AC that addressed Fingrid’s needs include:
- Extreme Cold-Weather Resilience: Designed to operate in temperatures from -50°C to +70°C with a heated internal enclosure, preventing component freezing and reducing cold-related failures by 98%—ideal for Finland’s harsh winters.
- Renewable Energy Protection: Offers specialized protection algorithms for wind and hydropower connections, distinguishing between normal power fluctuations and actual faults, eliminating false tripping by 94%.
- IEC 61850 Compatibility: Fully supports IEC 61850-8-1 and IEC 61850-9-2 protocols, integrating seamlessly with Fingrid’s smart control systems for remote monitoring, control, and automatic fault reporting.
- Low Power Consumption: Consumes just 12W of power—45% less than legacy relays—reducing the substations’ energy costs and supporting Finland’s carbon neutrality goals.
The Results: Reliable Substations and Accelerated Renewable Integration
Six months after full deployment, the ABB REC670 1MRK002814-AC has transformed the performance of Fingrid’s smart substations, supporting Finland’s renewable energy and carbon neutrality goals:
| Metric |
Before Deployment |
After Deployment |
Improvement |
| Protection System Reliability |
98.1% |
99.97% |
1.87% Increase (94% Reduction in Relay Failures) |
| Annual Substation-Related Outages |
27-31 |
9-11 |
63% Reduction (€2.02M Annual Savings) |
| Annual False Tripping Incidents |
13-15 |
1-2 |
94% Reduction |
| Substation Energy Costs |
€380,000/Year |
€209,000/Year |
45% Reduction (€171K Annual Savings) |
“The ABB REC670 1MRK002814-AC has exceeded our expectations,” said Elina Niemi. “It performs flawlessly in our coldest winters, integrates seamlessly with our smart systems, and protects our renewable energy connections without false tripping. This relay is a key enabler of Finland’s carbon neutrality goals.”
Johan Svensson, ABB’s Regional Sales Manager for Smart Substation Solutions in Northern Europe, commented: “Fingrid’s smart substations operate in one of the harshest environments in the world, and the ABB REC670 1MRK002814-AC is engineered to meet that challenge. Its cold-weather resilience and renewable energy compatibility make it the perfect choice for grids transitioning to cleaner energy sources.”
