Measures to safeguard security of supply and maintenance – production use of Salmisaari B power plant to continue until 1 April 2025
Safeguarding the security of supply and maintenance is one of Helen’s most important tasks. A diverse production structure and increasing of energy self-sufficiency are key issues in safeguarding the security of supply and maintenance in the transition of the energy sector. We have reported that we are building heat and power capacity that replaces more than 2,000 megawatts of fossil energy production by 2025. Year 2022 taught us that we cannot leave anything to chance in terms of security of supply in an uncertain operating environment.
The operation of the Salmisaari B power plant will cease on 1 April 2024 in accordance with the decision taken by Helen’s Board of Directors in December 2021. Due to significant changes in our operating environment, we decided to continue the production use of the Salmisaari B power plant for the duration of the heating season of 2024–2025.
“In the current world situation, this is a responsible solution that makes it possible for us to safeguard the security of supply and maintenance. We are rapidly building capacity that replaces fossil production, but the delivery of components and equipment involves considerable uncertainties. We are not taking any risks in terms of security of supply,” comments Timo Aaltonen, Helen’s Senior Vice President, Energy Platform and Production Solutions.
In addition to the Salmisaari B power plant, there is also a coal-fired heating plant at Salmisaari. We will cease the use of coal in the heating plant about ten months ahead of schedule by summer 2023. The use of pellets in heat production will continue at Salmisaari even after implementing the changes in accordance with the previous decisions. The decision to continue production use at the Salmisaari B power plant for the duration of the heating season of 2024–2025 will not change our emissions reduction targets. Our goals still stand firm, i.e. an 80 per cent reduction in emissions in 2025 compared to the 1990 emissions and carbon-neutral energy production in 2030. By using coal, we will reduce the use of oil and natural gas in a situation where there are many uncertainties involved in the delivery of natural gas.