From left: Sami Kurunsaari (CEO, Netcontrol), Jussi Holopainen (Procuritas), Sami Raitakoski (ABB)
ABB has agreed to acquire Finnish grid automation specialist Netcontrol, expanding its capabilities as power networks face rising strain from electrification and renewable integration.
ABB expects to close the transaction in the first quarter of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals and customary conditions. The company did not disclose financial terms. Once completed, ABB will fold Netcontrol into its Distribution Solutions division.
Grids Under Growing Pressure
Electricity grids worldwide face increasing stress from rising demand, expanding renewable capacity, and more frequent extreme weather. The International Energy Agency projects that electricity could make up nearly half of global energy consumption by 2050.
That shift is driving urgent demand for smarter, more digital grid infrastructure.
Strengthening Grid Automation Capabilities
ABB said the acquisition will strengthen its smart grid and distribution automation portfolio. The deal combines ABB’s electrification technologies with Netcontrol’s grid automation software, which utilities and critical infrastructure operators use.
Netcontrol is headquartered in Helsinki and employs about 100 people. The company was founded in 1991 and is owned by Swedish private equity firm Procuritas Partners.
“The electrical grid is becoming the bottleneck of the energy transition,” said Adrian Guggisberg, president of ABB’s Distribution Solutions division. “As renewables, electric vehicles, and heat pumps come online, utilities need advanced automation to keep grids stable and resilient.”
Integration and Growth Plans
ABB plans to integrate Netcontrol’s products into its global portfolio and sell them through its international channels.
Netcontrol chief executive Sami Kurunsaari said the acquisition will help the company scale its technology without changing its customer focus. “ABB gives us the global reach and portfolio depth to bring our grid automation solutions to many more utilities and industrial customers,” he said.
