Nuclear power in Finland: history and prospects

Finland is a Nordic country that draws its electricity from a variety of sources, including fossil fuels, nuclear power, hydroelectricity and other renewables. In 2020, the breakdown of electricity production in Finland was as follows: 35% renewables, 30% fossil fuels and 35% nuclear power [1].

Nuclear power plays a key role in Finland’s energy mix, supplying around 35% of the country’s electricity. With the construction of new plants, such as Olkiluoto 3 and Hanhikivi 1, and the exploration of innovative technologies such as SMR reactors, Finland is well placed to maintain and strengthen its commitment to clean, reliable nuclear power.

History of nuclear power generation in Finland

Finland began exploring nuclear power in the 1950s and 1960s as a way of diversifying its energy sources and reducing its dependence on imported fossil fuels [2]. Finland’s first nuclear reactor, the Olkiluoto power plant, was commissioned in 1979 [3]. Since then, the country’s nuclear capacity has increased with the construction of two further nuclear power plants: Loviisa and Olkiluoto 2. By 2021, Finland was operating four nuclear reactors, with a total capacity of 2,781 electrical megawatts (MWe) [4].

Nuclear reactor technologies used in Finland

Nuclear reactors in Finland are mainly pressurized water reactors (PWRs). The two reactors at the Loviisa power plant are Russian-designed pressurized water reactors (VVER) [5]. The Olkiluoto 1 and 2 reactors are Western-designed pressurized water reactors (ABB Atom BWR type) [6]. These second-generation reactors use enriched uranium as fuel and pressurized water as moderator and coolant.

Innovative power plant and reactor projects

Olkiluoto 3 (EPR)

Finland is currently building a new nuclear power plant, Olkiluoto 3, which will be the country’s first European Pressurized Reactor (EPR). This third-generation reactor, developed by Areva (now Framatome) and Siemens, is designed to offer greater safety and efficiency than second-generation reactors [7]. The project has experienced significant delays and cost overruns, but Olkiluoto 3 is scheduled for commissioning in 2022, with a capacity of 1,600 MWe [8].

Hanhikivi 1

Another nuclear power plant project is currently under development in Finland: Hanhikivi 1. This project is being carried out by Fennovoima, a Finnish company, in cooperation with Rosatom, a Russian company. The reactor planned for this project is a Russian-designed VVER-1200, which offers improvements in terms of safety, efficiency and lifetime over previous VVER reactors [9]. Construction of the Hanhikivi plant has been delayed due to various issues, including environmental concerns and regulatory issues. Hanhikivi 1 is currently scheduled for commissioning in 2028, with a capacity of 1,200 MWe [10].

Small Modular Reactor (SMR) projects

Finland is also interested in Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) to complement its existing nuclear fleet and meet its future needs for decarbonized energy. SMRs are compact reactors that offer cost, flexibility and safety advantages over larger reactors. In 2021, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland launched a research project on SMRs to assess their feasibility and potential for integration into the Finnish power grid [11]. This project could lead to the construction of new SMR reactors in Finland in the coming decades.

List of Finnish nuclear reactors

Reactor nameTechModelMweTWhConstructionStartGridConnecDecommissioningLoad factor
LOVIISA-1PWRVVERV-213420161.64may 1971feb. 197787.8%
OLKILUOTO-1BWRAA-III,BWR-2500660281.43feb. 1974sept. 197892.5%
OLKILUOTO-2BWRAA-III,BWR-2500660272.09nov. 1975feb. 198093.0%
LOVIISA-2PWRVVERV-213420152.29august 1972nov. 198089.4%
Finnish nuclear reactors. Source: PRIS database

Countries producing nuclear power

  1. United States: 94,718 GW
  2. France: 61,370 GW
  3. China: 53,170 GW
  4. Russia: 27,727 GW
  5. South Korea: 24,489 GW
  6. Japan: 16,321 GW
  7. Canada: 13,624 GW
  8. Ukraine: 13,107 GW

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