Views on Finland's electricity generation system and its development were also investigated in the survey. Attitudes towards the deregulation of competition and the increase of market-based energy generation and distribution have been the principal focus of attention. Questions concerning this subject matter have been added as the process of change toward the national and international deregulation of the markets has progressed and its consequences have become visible in the everyday lives of electricity consumers.

8.1. Government vs. market-oriented steering

On the general level of principles, market-orientation receives a polarised result. Two out of five (39%) agree that 'electricity should be an ordinary commodity, and the markets should freely determine the production, pricing and sale of this commodity'. There are slightly more of those who reject this claim (44%). The result is significantly more critical than in the previous year, when the approving opinion was the more popular one. The change has significance firstly because it shows that the stable phase indicated in the previous three surveys (2003-2005) has ended, and secondly because as a result, the distribution is the most sceptical of the entire period of the follow-up. Before the stabile phase mentioned above, the opinion in favour of market-oriented steering gradually declined over five surveys. The total change from 1998 (the first year in which households could change their electricity provider, which raised the expectations of the people) to 2003 was fairly clear [Figure 33.].

Another statement with reversed formulation also tells of increasing scepticism. The proportion of those who think that 'free competition is rather unsuitable for the energy sector, which should be clearly steered and controlled by society' has visibly increased since the previous year. Now nearly two out of three (65%) agree with this statement, emphasising the role and control of government officials. One in four (23%) disagree. Like the result discussed above, this result is the most market-critical of the entire time series [Figure 34.].

More results can be found indicating similar thinking, which almost has shades of socialism in it when considered in the present situation of market liberalism. The claim that 'the government should retain a sufficiently great share of ownership and voting rights in energy companies in order to guarantee the sufficiency and safety of energy' mainly evokes one type of reaction among the citizens. More than four out of five (82%) agree, only a small minority (6%) disagree. This result, like the time series of six surveys preceding it, indicates a trend towards stricter opinions rather than any slackening [Figure 35.].

Closer inspection of the opinions also reveals that they do not include any particular political or ideological charge. Although the supporters of left-wing parties emphasise the government's role more strongly than those of right-wing parties, this way of thinking is also widespread among the latter (e.g. 73% of the supporters of the National Coalition Party agree with this claim; not included in the figure).

Distrust in 'the energy market economy' is also reflected in the fact that three out of four (73%) respondents agree with the claim that 'the government and municipalities are better owners of energy companies than profit-seeking investors'. Only one in ten disagree (10%). The distribution is more approving than in the previous study. Also in the long term, the popularity of public ownership has increased rather than decreased (no figure).

Naturally, 'pure business' and 'stiff public' are not the only operating models that can be thought of. As a sort of third way, a customer-owned model has been proposed and partially applied on a small scale (which does not mean, for example, the industry resource company TVO, but joint projects of consumers and other minor actors). The proposal concerning this, 'to counterbalance market-based electricity generation, customer-owned (for example cooperative-based) production which sells electricity on an at-cost principle should be created in Finland', is advocated by nearly two-thirds of the respondents (64%, 10% disagree). Even though support for the idea is extensive, the reception is not quite that of a top idea. The support seems moderate, especially as the reference to low prices, usually a strong promoter of any idea, is considered. The current result is practically the same as in the previous year, when this statement was first included in the survey [Figure 36.].