Finland's top reactors down, operators assure safety
Two of the five reactors at the Finnish nuclear power plants, Loviisa and Olkiluoto, have been shut down due to malfunctions. Operators assure that there is no radiation threat.
11:09 AM EST, November 19, 2024
The Finnish nuclear power plants Loviisa and Olkiluoto experienced malfunctions that shut down two of the five reactors. Operators at both facilities have stated that the situation does not pose a radiation threat.
Problems in Loviisa and Olkiluoto
At Finland's oldest nuclear power plant, Loviisa, located on the southern coast, a cooling system fault caused the second unit to malfunction. The plant operator, Fortum, emphasized that the first unit is operating without interruptions. However, no timeline was provided for the reactor’s return to service.
At the Olkiluoto plant, located on the island of the same name, the turbine's oil system of the third unit was damaged. The company TVO reported that repairs will take longer than initially anticipated, and the reactor will be reconnected within two days.
The importance of the power plants for Finland
The Loviisa nuclear power plant, built in the 1970s and 1980s using technology from the former USSR, provides about 10 percent of Finland's electricity. In contrast, Olkiluoto, which accounts for approximately 30 percent of the national energy mix, includes the OL3 reactor, the largest in Europe, which generates nearly 15 percent of the country’s electricity.
The OL3 reactor, constructed by a French-German consortium, was launched last spring after many years of delays related to technical and administrative issues. With a capacity of 1.6 GW, it is a crucial element of Finland's energy system.
Operators of both power plants assure that, despite the malfunctions, there is no threat to radiation safety.
