Until now, Finland has had to rely on adapting existing gas legislation. A dedicated hydrogen law will define how it’s regulated, who can own and operate pipelines, how access and pricing work, and how safety and environmental rules are applied.

Arto Rajala of Finland’s Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment said at the recent Hydrogen Development Forum in Helsinki that the legislation will be completed by December 2025 and open for public consultation in January 2026.

The legislation is expected to come into force in H2 2026. Officials are aiming to launch a framework that is both predictable for investors and flexible to support an evolving market, according to Rajala.

Finalising the framework will give Finland the rules, authority, and investor certainty to move hydrogen projects from planning to building.

Among the key beneficiaries will be Gasgrid, the state-owned transmission system operator (TSO) leading development of the national hydrogen network.

Once the law is enacted next year, it’s expected to provide the legal basis for the infrastructure firm to develop and operate Finland’s planned hydrogen transmission network.

“For Finland, where electricity is frequently the most inexpensive in Europe, hydrogen is an intriguing opportunity,” explained Sara Kärkia, SVP, Hydrogen Development at Gasgrid.

“[The] hydrogen pipeline project is coming along nicely. The routing has been published, and the environmental impact assessment is ongoing.”

Industrial companies have been consulted on the route through a market survey, while engineering firm Worley has been appointed to deliver front-end design through to 2028.

The pipeline would also be linked to the 2,500km Nordic-Baltic Hydrogen Corridor.