Energy Giant Fortum Battles Surge in Cyberattacks, CEO Confirms

The Finnish company Fortum has recently faced an unprecedented level of cyber threats. In an interview, the company’s CEO, Markus Rauramo, revealed details of the incidents confronting the energy giant.

In addition to Finland, Fortum operates in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, the Baltic States, Poland, and Russia (although the situation with its Russian assets has changed significantly in recent years). The company is involved in the generation, distribution, and sale of electricity and heat. Its infrastructure includes hydroelectric power plants, wind and solar farms, nuclear power stations, and combined heat and power plants. Fortum is also actively investing in renewable energy sources, striving towards carbon-neutral production. Crucially, Fortum supplies energy not only to residential homes but also to major industrial enterprises, government agencies, medical centers, and other critical sectors.

According to Rauramo, Fortum faces daily attempts at cyberattacks and breaches of its security systems. However, the threats extend beyond the digital realm. Suspicious activity has been observed around energy facilities, and there have also been reports of unmanned aerial vehicles flying over these sites.

The company has also encountered issues with satellite communications. In recent months, there has been a rise in instances of data transmission disruptions via satellite. Fortum has sought assistance from Finnish authorities, and an investigation is already underway.

This alarming trend is not confined to Finland alone. Rauramo noted that similar activity has been detected in Sweden.

Despite the increased frequency of attacks, Fortum has so far successfully defended itself against these threats without significant consequences. Jari Stenius, head of security, acknowledged that the number of incidents continues to rise, yet their impact on the company’s day-to-day operations remains minimal.

Fortum is also taking steps to strengthen its energy independence. Last year, it transitioned to American-made nuclear fuel from Westinghouse Electric. The Loviisa nuclear power plant, which provides around 10% of Finland’s electricity, had long relied on fuel from TVEL, a subsidiary of Rosatom. Now, Fortum has fully switched to Western suppliers, sourcing not only uranium and fuel assemblies but also enrichment services.