STUK’s finances in 2023: strengthening cost-effective operations and a sustainable economy

In 2023, STUK’s operating expenses were approximately EUR 39.4 million. Approximately 42% (EUR 16.5 million) of the funding for operations came from the government’s budgetary appropriations. Nearly one half (19 million) was collected by STUK as regulatory charges from the organizations being monitored. Of the regulatory charges, the greatest portion by far (EUR 18.2 million) came from the safety monitoring of the use of nuclear energy, and the remainder from the monitoring of radiation practices.

STUK’s personnel expenses remained at the same level as in 2022. They were EUR 25.1 million or approximately 64% of total expenditure. STUK’s acquisition costs last year were approximately EUR 14.3 million. The largest expenditure categories consist of purchases of services (e.g. Valtori’s services and various expert and research services) and the rent of the Senate-owned office building.

STUK spent EUR 0.4 million less appropriations than during the previous year. From 2023 to 2024, appropriations were transferred by EUR 9.5 million and the transferring appropriations increased by EUR 3.1 million. Three factors contributed most to the increase in the transferring appropriations: the transfer of planned major and necessary investments to the next year, a lower than expected volume of cooperation in neighbouring regions and lower than expected costs in the use of operations-related services. A significant part of the transferring funding is linked to transferred investments and the costs of renewing the future monitoring and licensing information system.

STUK’s financial position was strengthened during 2023 due to the additional appropriations granted to the budget. Additional funding was granted, for example, for the additional tasks in accordance with the new Act on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, raising the level of digital safety, maintaining radiation monitoring at border crossing points in Finland, preparing for the complete reform of nuclear energy legislation and preparing for the handling of small modular reactors (SMRs). The new government programme "A Strong and Caring Finland" also includes the renewal of the Nuclear Energy Act and its implementing regulations as well as facilitating the construction of small modular reactors. The government programme entries strengthened STUK’s financial position in order to achieve these objectives until the end of the next budget planning period, which runs until 2027.

In line with STUK’s new strategy, concrete measures were launched at STUK in 2023 to strengthen cost-efficient operations and a sustainable economy. The significance of the measures was further strengthened during 2023 when, due to the state of the public finances, productivity targets were set for all ministries, government agencies and institutions in the government programme, which will be fully implemented starting from 2027. STUK started the achievement of its own productivity targets by setting the goal of increasing space efficiency at the Vantaa Jokiniemi office in accordance with the objectives of the central government’s premises strategy. In cooperation with the Senate, Customs and STUK, a survey was launched to clarify whether the Customs Laboratory could be located on the security campus in Jokiniemi, Vantaa, partly in the premises shared with STUK, and the planning work has progressed as expected. All in all, the promotion of cost-efficient operations and a sustainable economy progressed well during 2023.

Read more about the finances: STUK’s financial statements and annual report 2023 (pdf, in Finnish)