Finland Turns the Page on Coal with the Closure of the Salmisaari Power Plant
Finnish Energy Provider Helen Announces Closure of Last Coal-Fired Power Plant
On Tuesday, Finnish energy provider Helen announced the definitive closure of its coal-fired power plant in Salmisaari, marking the end of the coal era in Finland. This facility, located in the heart of Helsinki, was the last coal power plant in the country.
In addition to generating electricity, the plant also supplied heat to Helsinki’s urban heating network, resulting in substantial carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions that have contributed to climate change, according to the company’s statement.
The closure of the power plant is expected to lead to a 50% reduction in Helen’s annual CO2 emissions by 2024 and a 30% decrease in Helsinki’s overall emissions. Nationally, Finland’s emissions are also projected to decrease by 2%, as noted in the announcement.
Olli Sirkka, CEO of Helen, emphasized that this move away from coal is a significant step toward cleaner, more sustainable, and more affordable energy production. In 2022, coal still accounted for 64% of the energy produced by Helen’s urban heating network.
