The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment plans to launch a campaign in August asking people living in Finland to save energy.

The ministry confirmed to Yle that the campaign is being prepared, but did not comment further about its content.

However the ministry did note that the campaign stems from an EU Commission initiative. Similar campaigns are already underway in many EU countries like Germany, Italy and France.

In Finland, the campaign will be announced at the end of August and rolled out towards autumn-when heating and fewer daylight hours start to demand more energy.

The campaign will focus on heating and hot water consumption, according to one of the campaign's planners, Päivi Suur-Uski, anenergy efficiency expert from the firm Motiva.

"The energy saving measures taken by consumers are effective. In Finland, about a third of energy use goes into heating buildings," Suur-Uski told Yle.

Suur-Uski added that reducing a home's heating thermostat temperature by one degree corresponds to energy savings of up to five percent.

"We also have a lot of heated spaces, such as garages and warehouses, that don't necessarily need to be heated," Suur-Uski pointed out.

Hot water's share in heating costs can be up to 30-40 percent of the total bill.

"Limiting shower time is a quick way to reduce energy consumption. Let's forget about fifteen minute showers and spend no more than five minutes there," Suur-Uski emphasised.

She estimated that with effective saving, households could cut a total of around 10-20 percent of their total energy usage.

"It would have a huge impact nationally," Suur-Uski concluded.

Last campaign: Oil crisis of the 1970s

The last time a similar campaign was undertaken was during the global oil crisis in the 1970s.

Back then, the government outlined, among other things, that room temperatures should be lowered, advertising lights reduced and road traffic speeds cut to 80 kilometres per hour.

The efforts helped Finland to decrease its oil consumption by more than 10 percent annually.

Lack of energy in autumn?

Senior advisor Oras Tynkkynen, from sustainable development firm Sitra, considered it possible that there will be an energy shortage in the autumn. There is a chance that controlled, two-hour blackouts may be used as a last resort.

"In the worst case scenario, we have to decide to whom the energy is directed to. Energy supply would be secured for hospitals, for example, but parts of the industrial sector could be cut off for some time," Tynkkynen estimated.

The adequate supply of electricity depends, among other things, on whether the new nuclear power plant Olkiluoto 3 can be put into full commercial use by winter. The supply of natural gas, on the other hand, depends on the schedule of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal shared by Finland and Estonia.

"We have to hope for the best, but be prepared for the worst, and also for the energy supply to be seriously disrupted," Tynkkynen told Yle.