Finland increases energy security and clean energy supply with the connection of Olkiluoto 3 nuclear reactor

For immediate release March 12, 2022

Finnish utility Teollisuuden Voima Oyj (TVO) has announced that Olkiluoto 3, a nuclear reactor sited in south-west Finland, started supplying electricity to the grid at 12:01 today.

Reacting to the announcement of the successful grid-connection, Sama Bilbao y León, Director General, World Nuclear Association said;

“Olkiluoto 3’s start-up will further reduce Finland’s use of fossil fuels and need for electricity imports, increasing its energy security and reducing its greenhouse gas emissions.

“When Olkiluoto 3 reaches full output, around 90% of Finland’s electricity generation will come from clean, low-carbon electricity sources, with nuclear generation supplying around half of that.

“We congratulate the staff of TVO, the Finnish regulator STUK and all the companies involved for this great achievement.”

Notes for the Editor

Olkiluoto 3 is Finland’s fifth operable reactor, joining two BWR reactors already operating at the Olkiluoto site. Two other reactors are operating at Loviisa, in south-east Finland.

Together, Olkiluoto 1&2 and Loviisa 1&2 produce 22 TWh of electricity each year. This will increase by around 50% when Olkiluoto 3 commences full commercial operations.

Olkiluoto 3, a 1,600 MWe EPR reactor, was supplying 103 MWe of electric power when it was grid-connected, and this has already increased to 238 MWe. When regular operations at its full 1,600 MWe capacity commence in a few months, the EPR reactor will supply around 14% of Finland’s electricity needs.

The start-up of Olkiluoto 3 formed part the International Energy Agency’s 10-Point Plan to reduce the European Union’s reliance on Russian natural gas.