HELSINKI (AFP) - Electricity consumption by Finnish industry rose for the first time in two years in December, signalling that better times could lie ahead for the economy.

"Towards the end of last year, power consumption again turned to growth, an indication that the worst of the recession is over," Finnish Energy Industries (ET) said in a statement, adding industrial electricity consumption grew in December versus the same month a year ago for the first time in two years.

Electricity consumption by industry nevertheless fell by 16 percent over the year, dented by the slowdown in the global economy which has hit demand for Finnish manufacturing and led to companies trimming production.

The "share of industry in Finland's power consumption fell to 45 percent. The share is lower than ever before. In terms of volume, industrial consumption fell back last year to below the 1997 level," the agency said, adding the forestry industry had seen the biggest drop in electricity use.

"In the autumn, there was a clear change for the better in industrial electricity consumption, and by December there was clear growth," it said.

Overall Finnish electricity consumption fell by seven percent in 2009, but carbon dioxide emissions stemming from electricity production grew due to problems in biofuel supply, smaller combined heat and power (CHP) production and the replacement of some gas by coal.

"Last year, 63 percent of the electricity generated in Finland was greenhouse gas emissions-free," Finnish Energy Industries said, adding renewable energy sources accounted for about a third of all power production.