Our story

Throughout its existence, Pohjolan Voima has changed with society and the energy economy – often in the frontline. The change is ongoing.

We are a decisive power in building Finland’s competitive edge and creating wellbeing. We play an important role as Finland moves towards a low-carbon society. Our aim is to combine competitive carbon-neutral production and biodiversity.

As a major Finnish electricity and heat provider, we have been aiming for low-carbon energy production since the late 1990s, and this transition has been made step by step. In 2010, our goal for 90 per cent of our electricity production to be CO2 neutral by 2015. In 2009, the share was 72%. At the end of 2022, we had already achieved 97% in our electricity production, and at the end of 2024, 99%. However, the work goes on.

In the coming years, we will focus on increasing the flexible utilisation of our power plants and enhance our regulating capabilities. Digitalisation and knowledge-based management are some of the ways we aim to do this. Many digital pilots are currently underway, and they can help us further develop and enhance our energy production. By doing this, we can reduce our emissions even more.

Throughout its over 80 years of existence, Pohjolan Voima has changed with society – often in the frontline. The change is ongoing.

How did we get here?

During Pohjolan Voima’s first 50 years, from the wartime to the 1980s, great changes occurred in society. There were

• reconstruction,
• heavy industrialisation and efforts to enable it,
• as well as an oil crisis that changed the way people thought about energy.

This period also included complex negotiations on building the industry’s own nuclear power plant.

The 1990s and 2000s were periods of rapid growth and internationalisation for Pohjolan Voima. Bioenergy and wind power solutions were studied and constructed, increasing the amount of CO2-neutral production and adjustments to the energy transition. For example, we built 16 biopower plants and developed innovative combustion technology. We were pioneers in developing wind power technology and offshore wind power across the northern regions.

In the 2010s, we have become an expert organisation and left the days of building new power plants behind. Instead, we specialise in efficient lifecycle management and the maintenance of power plants. We work in close cooperation with our shareholders and partner networks.

We focus on electricity production on an industrial scale. We have ceased wind power production. We have also stopped using condensing power and demolished power plants that used fossil fuels.

Migratory fish issues and the consideration of biodiversity in energy production have become significant factors. We collaborate with many parties to tackle fish issues, aquatic environment management and development, and better regulation. We currently have many long-term projects.

In the early 2020s we have used scenario work to map possible futures and to prepare for them.

We have launched a biodiversity programme by surveying how our operations have affected biodiversity and how we can play our part in halting the loss of biodiversity. We prepared an action plan for 2023−2027. Our long-term biodiversity vision is to move towards net positivity. We focus on hydropower and thermal biopwer in our action plan. In terms of nuclear power, the work on biodiversity is carried out by our joint venture Teollisuuden Voima.

Pohjolan Voima in brief

1943
Critical energy shortage in Finland, because a significant part of electricity generation capacity has either been destroyed or have been lost to the Soviet Union in the Winter War. Finnish forest companies establish their own power company to meet their needs. Pohjolan Voima is established.

1948
The construction of the first power plant, the hydropower plant Isohaara on the Kemijoki river in Northern Finland, is completed.

1959–1971
Five hydropower plants (Pahkakoski, Haapakoski, Kierikki, Maalismaa and Raasakka) are built on another river in Northern Finland, on the Iijoki river.

1972
The construction of the first condensing power plant (Tahkoluoto in Pori) is completed.

1979
Olkiluoto, the first nuclear power plant is built.

1980
The second nuclear power plant is built.

1990–2016
Pohjolan Voima builds 16 biopower plants.

2000–2011
Pohjolan Voima develops wind power technology and builds wind turbines such as the world’s first offshore wind turbine in the pack-ice zone.

2001
The first multi-fuel plant is built.

2005
The construction of a third nuclear power plant starts.

2008–2013
Overhauls of the hydropower plants on the Iijoki river.

2011
Pohjolan Voima focuses on electricity production on an industrial scale and abandons wind power.

2014
The condensing power plant in Mussalo, Kotka is demolished.

2018
Pohjolan Voima celebrates its 75th anniversary.

2019
Ninety-four per cent of Pohjolan Voima’s electricity production is CO2 neutral.
Surveys to prepare for Finland’s first downstream migration route for migratory fish in the Iijoki river at Haapakoski.

2020
We renewed our corporate responsibility programme and included goals that adhere to the UN’s sustainable development goals.

At Haapakoski in the Iijoki the construction of the Finland’s first downstream migration route for migratory salmon fry was begun.

Two condensing power plants are demolished (in Kristiinankaupunki and in Tahkoluoto, Pori).

2021

Porin Prosessivoima, a subsidiary on Pohjolan Voima, decided to give up the use of peat by the end of 2023.

The Jumisko hydropower plant in Kemijärvi is renovated.

The Olkiluoto 3 EPR nuclear power plant unit was started up on 21 December 2021.

2022

Finland’s most advanced automation solution for river regulation was implement at the Iijoki hydropower plants. The automation solution enhances the production of balancing power and increases energy efficiency.

To enhance circular economy, Pohjolan Voima studies the extension of the utilisation of ash that is produced as a side product in thermal power plants into more varied usage.

Finland’s first downstream migration route for migratory salmon is introduced at Haapakoski in the river Iijoki.

A unique bore pile wall is completed at the Melo hydropower plant in the river Kokemäenjoki. A total of 4,500 cubic meters of new, tight wall was constructed and nearly 200 piles were bored in the Melo earth dam. The longest piles are nearly 67 meters long. The structure is exceptional in Finland.

2023

Pohjolan Voima launched its biodiversity programme.

The regular electricity production of the Olkiluoto 3 nuclear power plant unit started on 16 April 2023.

Fishheart, a hydraulic fishway, is introduced at the Raasakka hydropower plant, the lowermost power plant on the river Iijoki.

Pohjolan Voima celebrated its 80th anniversary.

2024

Pohjolan Voima published its plans to investige the possibility of building a pumped-storage power station in the area of Lake Kemijärvi.