Electricity at Helsinki Halli (formerly Hartwall Arena) was cut off on Monday, according to Henna Malmberg, Communications Director for the Finnish Ice Hockey Association.
The Finnish Ice Hockey Association's office is located adjacent to the stadium, and its electricity supply is managed by Helsinki Halli, the company that operates the arena. Depending on the day, the office accommodates between 10 and 20 employees.
According to sources from the Finnish News Agency STT, a backup power supply has been activated.
Helsinki Halli has declined to comment on the situation. However, it has been reported that the company's electricity contract was set to expire today.
Despite having the funds, the arena's management company — owned by a collection of Russian oligarchs — has been unable to pay the electricity bill due to sanctions.
Malmberg confirmed that the arena’s management has approached the association for assistance in covering the electricity costs. She did not comment on how the association plans to respond to the request.