WNE2025 | COUNTRY PAVILLIONS Finland: Building the nuclear energy landscape
With five commercial reactors and initiatives looking at new build, SMRs and life extension, Finland is also pioneering nuclear waste management to take a leading role in building the future energy landscape
completing ONKALO®, the world’s first deep geological repository for used fuel. In August 2024,
Above: Posiva is close to completing ONKALO®, the world’s fi rst deep geological repository for spent nuclear fuel. Source: Posiva.
Today, Finland operates a balanced, secure, and technologically advanced nuclear energy programme that has steadily evolved since the 1970s. The country runs five commercial reactors at two sites, with ongoing initiatives in lifetime extensions, spent fuel management, and preparations for eventual decommissioning. While some new-build ambitions have faltered, Finland remains a leader in nuclear safety and waste management, with a strong industrial base originating from its early nuclear development. The backbone of Finnish nuclear generation lies at two sites.
Teollisuuden Voima Oyj (TVO) operates the three-unit Olkiluoto plant in Eurajoki. Olkiluoto 1 and 2 are boiling water reactors commissioned in 1979 and 1982, each delivering around 860 MW of electricity. Their performance has been consistently high, supported by ongoing modernisation projects. The landmark addition to the site is Olkiluoto 3, a European Pressurised Reactor (EPR) of roughly 1,600 MW. After a lengthy construction period, the unit finally entered commercial operation in April 2023, making it one of the most powerful nuclear reactors in Europe. Meanwhile, on Finland’s southern coast, Fortum operates the
Loviisa plant, consisting of two pressurised water reactors of Soviet VVER design with Western safety systems. Both units have undergone major refurbishments, and in 2023 the government approved a licence extension allowing them to operate into the 2050s. This ensures that nuclear energy will remain a stable part of Finland’s electricity mix for decades to come. The most closely watched project in Finland today is not
a new reactor, but the pioneering work of Posiva Oy on final disposal of spent nuclear fuel. At the Olkiluoto site, Posiva is
Posiva launched a test operation phase using dummy fuel assemblies in its encapsulation and disposal facilities. This marks the transition from construction to demonstration, with industrial-scale disposal expected later in the 2020s. The project places Finland at the forefront of global nuclear waste solutions. Life extension
investments are another major theme.
Both Fortum and TVO continue to invest in the modernisation of their reactors to ensure safety and efficiency on the plants for decades to come. Meanwhile, Finland is monitoring new nuclear concepts such as small modular reactors (SMRs). Several feasibility studies are underway, though no projects have advanced to licensing or construction.
On the other hand, Finland’s attempt at another large-scale new build, the Hanhikivi 1 project led by Fennovoima, was terminated in 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the cancellation of its supplier contract with Rosatom. Legal proceedings remain, but no new project is currently advancing to replace it. A distinctive feature of Finland’s nuclear sector is the number
of companies that trace their roots back to early nuclear development. Fortum itself stems from Imatran Voima, the state utility that pioneered Loviisa. TVO was created in 1969 by the Finnish industry to secure a stable electricity supply. Research institutions like VTT and engineering firms in construction, control systems, and heavy industry all built expertise during Finland’s formative nuclear decades. This industrial base remains active, providing know-how not only for domestic projects but also for international markets. Finland’s nuclear programme illustrates both resilience and
innovation. Despite setbacks in new construction, the country continues to lead in safe operation, waste management, and industrial competence. With extended lifetimes for its existing reactors and the world’s most advanced repository moving toward reality, Finland demonstrates a pragmatic yet ambitious approach to nuclear energy’s future.
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