Porin Prosessivoima’s electric boiler has been completed and integrated into the existing power plant complex. Commercial operation began in mid-August. With a capacity of 60 megawatts, the electric boiler will secure and improve the efficiency of energy production while reducing fuel consumption and emissions. The investment amounts to €10.5 million.
“I am delighted that this new flexible element is now part of our production system. The electric steam boiler supports our efforts to reduce the use of fossil fuels at the power plant. It can also provide balancing power to help stabilise the electricity system,” says Eero Niemitalo, Managing Director of Porin Prosessivoima.
The electric boiler converts electrical energy into heat, which is then used to turn water into steam. It operates at high efficiency, as almost all the electrical energy is converted into heat. The electric boiler will produce steam for industry and district heat when electricity prices are low.
Porin Prosessivoima made the investment decision on the electric boiler in March 2025, and equipment installation began in March 2026. Some of the final stages of the project were carried out concurrently.
“There were some delays in deliveries and engineering, which meant that towards the end of the project we advanced more work stages simultaneously than originally anticipated. This required skill and flexibility from everyone involved. Nevertheless, we succeeded in coordinating everything, and I am extremely pleased with the overall outcome,” says Janne Valkama, Production Manager at Porin Prosessivoima.
Before the electric boiler was commissioned, its operation was verified through testing at the factory and subsequently in the power plant environment. The final tests took place in June and July.
“During the various testing stages, we checked areas including the operation of the automation and control systems, signal transmission and the tightness of the pipework. During trial operation in July, the electric boiler was operated on market terms for the first time, and its balancing capability was tested. At the same time, the operation of the rest of the power plant could be adjusted in line with the electric boiler’s output,” Valkama explains.
Porin Prosessivoima had already taken steps to reduce fuel consumption and emissions at the power plant: a flue gas heat recovery plant was completed at the end of 2024. As a result, carbon dioxide emissions from district heating production in the Pori region will decrease by approximately 1,000 tonnes per year. Thanks to these investments, the use of peat as a fuel at the power plant has already been phased out entirely.
Porin Prosessivoima is a subsidiary of Pohjolan Voima. Its biomass power plant in the Kaanaa industrial area of Pori produces district heat for Pori Energia, process heat for local industry and electricity.
For further information:
Eero Niemitalo, Managing Director, Porin Prosessivoima Oy
eero.niemitalo@porienergia.fi,
Tel. +358 44 701 2105
Janne Valkama, Production Manager, Porin Prosessivoima Oy
janne.valkama@porienergia.fi
Tel. +358 44 701 2217