Finland ends daily coal use with shutdown of last active plant Green energy takes over

Finland has officially shut down its last remaining coal-fired power and heat plant, marking a major step in Helsinki energy group Helen’s drive to cut emissions and reduce energy costs for customers.

The closure, which took effect on April 1, comes as the country accelerates its shift to renewables, with wind and solar power capacity expanding rapidly in recent years, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Helen’s Chief Executive Olli Sirkka confirmed to Reuters that the shutdown is a milestone in Finland’s transition away from fossil fuels, following a 2019 law mandating an end to coal use by 2029.

“Of course, we cannot claim that no coal will ever be burned in Finland again due to emergency situations, but this plant was the last coal-powered facility in daily operation,” Sirkka said.

The Salmisaari plant, which produced 175 MW of electricity and 300 MW of heat annually, has been replaced by a combination of electricity, waste heat, heat pumps, and the continued use of pellets and wood chips. Helen has pledged to eliminate all forms of burning by 2040, aiming to slash emissions to just 5% of 1990 levels by 2030.

Helen, owned by the capital city of Helsinki, was the last Finnish power producer to abandon coal, as alternative clean energy sources were previously insufficient to meet the city’s needs. During cold winter months, Helsinki’s heating demands account for about 20% of the country’s total power production, Sirkka noted.

While acknowledging that the clean energy transition comes at a cost, Sirkka stressed that it is a conscious societal choice. Despite the investment required, Finland still has Europe’s third-cheapest electricity prices, after Sweden and Norway. Helen also expects district heating prices to fall by an average of 5.8% for its customers this year.

The plant’s closure is expected to cut Helen’s carbon dioxide emissions by 50% from last year and reduce Finland’s total emissions by nearly 2%. Environmental campaigners, however, note that the country’s coal exit is not yet absolute, with a few small plants still using limited coal and another remaining on standby for emergencies and peak consumption periods.

By Aghakazim Guliyev