Savings guide 2026

Spot electricity in winter: how to save when prices swing

In winter, the Finnish spot electricity price can swing by more than 40 cents per kilowatt hour within a single day. Based on information from Motiva and the Energy Authority, this guide explains how to move your biggest loads to cheap hours, how to automate it, when a fixed price may be better and how Päivän Sähkö helps you follow prices.

Written by Aleksi Kiltala, Kiltala Oy · Published 6 November 2026

Short answer

The biggest savings come from timing space heating, hot water and electric car charging for cheap hours, which often fall at night. Timing is easiest when it is automatic: a programmable or spot-price-controlled thermostat, a relay or a smart charger. If you cannot or do not want to shift your use, a fixed price or a winter price lock protects you from price spikes, but it does not guarantee cheaper electricity. Päivän Sähkö shows tomorrow’s prices, 15-minute prices and your own price, and the Premium alert tells you in the evening if tomorrow will be expensive.

Päivän SähköiOS · Android · Apple Watch · Wear OS

Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play About the app

Winter

Why is spot electricity expensive and volatile in winter?

In winter a lot of electricity goes into heating, and the price depends on the weather. According to Motiva, cold and windless frosty spells are especially challenging. When there is little wind power and consumption is high, the price can climb high, and on a windy night it can fall close to zero.

According to Motiva, the average spot price was 14.7 c/kWh in January 2026 and 17.22 c/kWh in February. On the most expensive days the difference between day and night could exceed 40 c/kWh, and during the costliest period shifting use to the night could save more than 9 cents per kilowatt hour on average. So winter volatility is both a risk and an opportunity.

Timing

Move your biggest loads to cheap hours

According to Motiva, the biggest savings come from timing space heating, hot water and electric car charging. Smaller loads are worth timing when it is easy.

Heating

With storage electric heating, timing works well once the thermostat is replaced with a programmable or spot-price-controlled model. Heat pumps can also be controlled by the spot price or with their own timer.

Hot water

A hot water tank is an energy store in itself, so the day’s hot water can be heated when electricity is cheap, for example at night with a relay. Make sure the hot water lasts the whole day and the water temperature does not drop too low, because of the risk of legionella bacteria.

Electric car charging

Charge your electric car at night, when electricity is usually cheapest. A smart charger can follow the spot price and charge during the cheapest quarters.

Laundry, dishes and sauna

Washing machines, dishwashers and tumble dryers are easy to schedule for a cheap hour. An electric sauna heater also uses a lot of power, so timing your sauna can show on your bill.

Fireplace

According to Motiva, a fireplace can effectively reduce the amount of electricity used for heating. On expensive frosty days, a fireplace or baking oven reduces the need for electric heating.

Temperature and habits

Lowering the room temperature and taking shorter showers reduce consumption whatever the time. They also help when cheap hours do not fall at a convenient time.

Control

Let automation do the timing

Following prices by hand is hard work. According to Motiva, a spot price contract suits you if you can use cheaper times with automatic controls.

Check for a load control relayMany homes already have a load control relay in the electricity meter, which can control heating or a hot water tank without a new relay. Ask your network company or an electrician.
Timers and time switchesRelays and time switches suit appliances without their own timer. Newer appliances and heat pumps often have a timer built in.
Spot price controlMany new building technology devices support spot price control over Wi-Fi or a cable, and there are also control services. Because the price now changes every 15 minutes, make sure the control works with 15-minute prices.
Follow your own consumptionFingrid’s Datahub service shows your consumption in 15-minute steps. If your meter has not been upgraded yet, hourly consumption is split into four equal parts. According to Motiva, all meters will be upgraded by the end of 2028.
Päivän Sähkö does not control devicesPäivän Sähkö shows prices and reminds you, but it does not switch devices on or off. For control you need a timer, a relay, a smart device or a control service.

Päivän Sähkö

How Päivän Sähkö helps in winter

With these settings you see winter prices correctly and have time to prepare for expensive days.

Add your own priceEnter your margin, grid fee and, with a time-of-use tariff, the night-time grid fee (10 pm to 7 am) in the pricing settings, and switch on the electricity tax. Then you can see which time is really cheapest for you.
Check tomorrow’s prices in the afternoonTomorrow’s prices usually appear in the app between 2 and 3 pm. That gives you time to schedule the evening and night heating, hot water and charging.
Use the 15-minute viewThe price can change within the same hour. The 15-minute view shows which quarter suits a short wash programme, and the hourly view shows longer cheap periods.
Set a price alert (Premium)At 6 pm the alert tells you if tomorrow’s average price goes above or below your limit. A warning about an expensive day gives you time to heat the hot water tank and the house in advance during the night.
Check the weekly forecast (Premium)The 7-day forecast shows whether an expensive spell is coming. The forecast is marked as beta in the app, and a chart shows how well it has matched actual prices. The forecast is an estimate, not a promise.
Keep the price in viewA widget shows the price on your home screen, and on Apple Watch and Wear OS watches you can also see the cheapest hour. The month view lets you compare winter prices with earlier years back to January 2020.

Contract

Spot price, fixed price or hybrid for the winter?

There is no single right answer. What matters is whether you can shift your use and how well you cope with price swings.

Spot price

The price follows the exchange in 15-minute steps. According to a study by the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority and the Energy Authority, spot price contracts have on average been the cheapest option since the energy crisis, but the price varies a lot. A spot contract suits you if you can shift use to cheap hours.

Fixed price or price lock

A fixed price protects you from the biggest price spikes, but it does not guarantee cheaper electricity. You can also lock the price of a spot contract for the winter months. According to Motiva, a price lock can make sense if you cannot afford or do not want surprises in your electricity bill.

Hybrid

A hybrid contract has a fixed price and a variable part. According to Motiva, it is better protected against large price changes than a spot contract, and you can still influence the price by shifting your use.

Compare contracts on the Energy Authority’s Sähkönhinta.fi service. Päivän Sähkö’s contract comparison lets you compare spot and fixed-price contracts. Advertisements are labelled, and you should always check the final price with the retailer. Read also how the spot price is set and what electricity costs you.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is a spot price contract worth it in winter?

It depends on whether you can shift your use. According to a study by the Finnish Competition and Consumer Authority and the Energy Authority, spot electricity has on average been the cheapest option since the energy crisis, but in winter the price varies a lot. If you can time heating, hot water and charging for cheap hours, a spot contract can pay off in winter too.

When is electricity cheapest in winter?

Often at night and in the morning, but wind and consumption change the picture every day. Check tomorrow’s prices in the afternoon once they have been published.

How much can I save by timing my use?

It depends on your consumption and the prices. According to Motiva, during the costliest period of early 2026 shifting use to the night could save more than 9 cents per kilowatt hour on average, and on the most expensive days the difference between day and night could exceed 40 c/kWh.

Should I lock my spot price for the winter?

There is no single right answer. A price lock brings predictability and protects you from spikes, but it does not guarantee the lowest price. According to Motiva, it can make sense if you cannot afford or do not want surprises in your electricity bill.

How do I heat my hot water tank with cheap electricity?

Connect the tank to a relay controlled by the time of day or the spot price. Many homes already have a load control relay in the meter. Make sure the hot water lasts the whole day and the temperature does not drop too low.

Can Päivän Sähkö control my devices?

No. Päivän Sähkö shows current and tomorrow’s prices and your own price and reminds you with the Premium alert, but to control devices you need a timer, a relay, a smart device or a control service.

Where can I see my consumption in 15-minute steps?

Fingrid’s Datahub service shows your consumption in 15-minute steps. If your meter has not been upgraded yet, hourly consumption is split into four equal parts.

Sources

The savings tips and price figures are based on these sources, checked on 6 November 2026. Päivän Sähkö’s features were checked against the app’s source code.

Guides

Let’s build something great together.

Need a website for your business, a review of your current site or help with an app idea? Tell us about it and we will get back to you soon.