Akordi facilitates discussions between municipalities and the state on the future of the Palokki power plant
Akordi’s year began in North Karelia with discussions about the future of the Palokki power plant, when Juha-Pekka Turunen and Lasse Peltonen facilitated four discussion events in Tuusniemi, Tohmajärvi, Koli, and Joensuu. A total of 120 municipal decision-makers and mayors participated in the events from 17 municipalities, which jointly own Pohjois-Karjalan Sähkö Oy, the company that operates the power plant.
The government program’s entry concerning the liberalization of Palokki rapids would require the hydroelectric power plant to be redeemed by the state and dismantled. However, PKS’s dividends are an important source of income for the owner municipalities, so the state’s initiative has received a mixed reception in the municipalities.
Akordi planned and facilitated the discussion events on behalf of the Prime Minister’s Office. Risto Artjoki, State Secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office, and Jari-Pekka Punkari, Ministerial Adviser at the Government Ownership Steering Department, participated in all the events. The Regional Council of North Karelia was also closely involved in organizing the events.
Based on the feedback, the objectives of the events were well achieved. The roadmap drafted by the Prime Minister’s Office provided an outline of the possible progress of the restoration project. The open discussion was praised for allowing all views to be expressed and dealt with in a professional manner. However, the launch of the Palokki investigation still requires joint decisions by the owner municipalities.
After the events, a press conference was held in Joensuu on Tuesday, January 13. YLE and Karjalainen reported on the topic in Finnish.
Karjalainen (paywall): Valtio ja kunnat keskustelivat Palokin koskista kaksi päivää – Tällaisin tuloksin
