Olkiluoto 3 starts commercial operation

• 1 year, 8 months ago (2023-04-17)
• David Flin

Europe 1094 Nuclear 665

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Finland’s much delayed new nuclear reactor, Olkiluoto 3, has completed a test phase lasting more than a year and has entered commercial operation.

The 1600 MW reactor was connected to the Finnish national power grid in March 2022, and started commercial operation on 16 April, 2023. This is a delay of 14 years from the original schedule.

Construction of Olkiluoto 3 started in 2005 and was scheduled to be completed in 2009. However, the project was plagued by several technological problems that delayed the project.

Jarmo Tanhua, President and CEO of the operating company TVO , said: “The production of Olkiluoto 3 stabilises the price of electricity and plays an important role in the Finnish green transition. The electricity production volume of Europe’s largest nuclear power plant unit is a significant addition to clean, domestic production.”

Olkiluoto 3 is Western Europe’s first new reactor in more than 15 years. It is the first EPR plant to have gone online in Europe. It was developed in a joint venture between Areva and Siemens .