Nuclear power
Nuclear power is electricity from uranium fission. Finland has nuclear at Loviisa (2 units) and Olkiluoto (3 units) — a total of about 4.4 GW capacity and ~30 % of electricity production.
Nuclear is Finland's largest single production form on an annual basis. Its main strengths are stability (plants run continuously at ~100 % output) and fossil-free origin (near-zero CO2 emissions).
Finland's nuclear plants:
Loviisa 1 & 2 — owned by Fortum, total ~1.0 GW. Commercial operation from 1977 and 1980.
Olkiluoto 1 & 2 — owned by TVO, total ~1.8 GW. Started 1978–1980.
Olkiluoto 3 — new EPR reactor, ~1.6 GW. Commercial operation from 2023, Europe's largest nuclear unit.
In electricity contracts, "certified nuclear" means nuclear power verified with a certificate of origin. Nordic Green Energy's Pörssisähkö is an example: the company buys a matching volume of certificates from nuclear plants.
Nuclear's role in the Finnish power system
Nuclear is the backbone of the Finnish power system. Five reactors run almost continuously at full output — annual availability is typically over 90 %, among the world's highest. Combined production is about 23–25 TWh per year.
Nuclear's strength on the exchange is stability: output doesn't vary with the weather, unlike wind or solar. This complements renewables well — when wind drops, nuclear stays.
Olkiluoto 3 and its impact
Olkiluoto 3 (OL3) is Europe's largest nuclear unit — 1,600 MW. The reactor was finished 13 years late and significantly over budget but has operated stably since 2023.
OL3's effect on the Finnish market has been substantial: the spot price annual average has dropped 20–30 % in 2023–2024 compared to 2022 (which was exceptionally high due to the gas crisis). Finland has shifted from a net importer to an occasional net exporter, especially in summer.
Nuclear in your contract
"Origin-verified fossil-free nuclear" means nuclear power verified with a certificate of origin. Examples:
Nordic Green Energy Pörssisähkö — origin-verified fossil-free nuclear
Hehku Hiilivapaa — nuclear + renewables
Vattenfall Ilmasto Mix 24 kk — hydro + wind + nuclear
Fortum Takuu 24 kk — "certificates of origin for renewable energy and nuclear"
Nuclear-based contracts are usually priced similarly to standard ones — the certificate adds under 0.5 c/kWh.
Frequently asked questions
How many nuclear plants are there in Finland?
Five reactors in total: Loviisa 1 & 2 (Fortum, ~1.0 GW), Olkiluoto 1 & 2 (TVO, ~1.8 GW) and Olkiluoto 3 (TVO, ~1.6 GW). Total capacity is about 4.4 GW.
Is nuclear power safe?
Finnish nuclear plants follow a safety standard where the probability of a serious accident is below one in 100,000 reactor-years. All Finnish reactors are at third-generation safety level or above. They use passive safety systems (not requiring electricity to function).
What is origin-verified nuclear?
An electricity contract where a certificate of origin verifies that a matching volume has been produced by nuclear power. E.g. Nordic Green Energy Pörssisähkö — the company buys certificates from Finnish nuclear operators (Fortum, TVO).
See also
- Fossil-free — Fossil-free electricity means certified-origin electricity that is NOT produced with fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas). Includes nuclear power…
- Certificate of Origin — An EU-supervised certificate (Guarantee of Origin, GO) that confirms an equivalent amount of electricity has been produced by…
- Renewable energy — Renewable energy is electricity production based on continuous natural flows: wind, hydro, solar and biomass. In the Finnish…