An increase in tourism means the popularity of electric vehicle (EV) charging services in Northern Finland is growing faster than in many other regions. Arctic Circle Energy and Water Ltd (“Neve,” from the Finnish company name Napapiirin Energia ja Vesi) is a forerunner of promoting EV use in Lapland. In addition to energy distribution, Neve takes care of approximately 30 EV charging stations within its wide operating area across Lapland.
“Our charging services’ customers are mainly tourists who need to charge their electric vehicle en route, preferably quickly. We’ve provided charging services since 2015, and the trend is that the demand doubles each year,” says Jouni Karasti, Neve’s Head of Development.
Neve consolidated its network of charging points in the summer of 2021 by building two new 150 kW high-power charging stations at the Eteläkeskus service hub in Rovaniemi, next to Finnish national road number 4. Both charging stations are connected to the distribution network through ABB’s Kabeldon 630 A distribution cabinets.
Expansion potential and durability important features
Neve wanted the infrastructure in the central hubs to have room for future growth, as well as the possibility to increase the charging station’s connection size and the option to connect additional charging points if necessary.
Neve also wanted to invest in a solution that would be durable in every sense. The robust Kabeldon cabinets are very long-lasting, thanks to their solid yet flexible structure.
“The cabinets aren’t damaged even if a snowplow collides with them. They’re very sturdy,” says a grateful Karasti. “We already have hundreds of Kabeldon cabinets of different sizes in our distribution network, and they’re an absolute go-to product for us.”
Furthermore, for Neve it was important to have the possibility to connect any manufacturer’s charging station to the cabinets, because the stations will be changed several times during the technical service life of the distribution cabinets.
With a few accessories, the basic cabinet can be adapted to requirements
In a low-voltage network, a distribution cabinet is an everyday basic component through which power is supplied to different sites. The Kabeldon cabinet used in the charging station is the standard 630 A model with a few additional accessories. They were provided by Onninen, the wholesaler that supplied the cabinets. Neve has done business with the local branch of Onninen for years because of the fast and excellent service.
“We added places for energy meters to the ordinary cabinets. We also added fuse-switch-disconnectors, which can be added and changed according to requirements if and when new or bigger chargers are added to the cabinets,” explains Mikko Meriläinen, Sales Manager at Onninen.
“Going forward, as the industry develops, an offering of standard solutions will of course be available in the warehouse.”
