Europe’s largest nuclear reactor starts electricity generation in Finland

Finland’s Olkiluoto 3 nuclear reactor, the biggest in Europe, started operations on Sunday.

The reactor, with a capacity of 1600 megawatts, was intended to be operational in 2009, but it was delayed due to rising construction costs.

The reactor operator, Teollisuuden Voima (TVO), stated that the unit is expected to meet approximately 14% of Finland’s electricity demand and will be operational for at least 60 years.

‘The production of Olkiluoto 3 stabilizes the price of electricity and plays an important role in the Finnish green transition,’ TVO Chief Executive Jarmo Tanhua said in a statement.

The French and German consortium Areva-Siemens built the reactor.

The launch of the reactor coincides with Finland’s aim to increase its use of nuclear energy to reduce energy imports from Russia.

Reporting by Bahattin Gonultas in Brussels

• Teollisuuden Voima (TVO)