Thermal power plants
Thermal power
At the end of 2009, the electricity production capacity of Pohjolan Voima's thermal power plants totalled 2 150 MW. The thermal power capacity consists of condensing power plants and of combined heat and power (CHP) plants that produce not only electricity, but also steam and district heat for the local industry and community.
Highly variable year in thermal power production
In 2009, the electricity generation in thermal power plants was 5.2 TWh, 6% up on 2008.
Compared to the previous year, the total volume of electricity produced in condensing power plants increased to 2.4 TWh in 2009.
In the production of CHP, the production of industry process heat and electricity decreased as a consequence of decreased industrial heat demand. District heat CHP production, on the other hand, increased slightly on the previous year. Combined heat and power production plants generated 2.8 TWh of electricity. This is 12% less than in the previous year.
The total heat production by Pohjolan Voima in 2009 was 5.1 TWh, 1% down on 2008.
Late in 2009, the bioenergy plant in Kerava and the plant owned by Kaukaan Voima in Lappeenranta were connected to the national grid. The Nokia power plant was sold to Fortum Power and Heat Oy at the end of the year. The Mussalo coal-fired power plant was transferred to a long-term reserve in the spring 2009.
The thermal power plants consumed 8.6 TWh of coal, 5.2 TWh of biofuels, 3.1 TWh of peat, 0.1 TWh of natural gas and 0.2 TWh of oil in 2009. The total consumption of fuels remained at the previous year’s level.
Reserve power plants
Pohjolan Voima’s oil-fired condensing power plants in Kristiinankaupunki and Vaasa and the Mussalo gas-fired condensing power plant in Kotka will belong to the national power reserve system coordinated by Fingrid until 28 February 2011. The combined electricity generation capacity of the three plants is 600 MW.
- Read more on thermal power production and the environment in 2009
- Read more on investments in bioenergy