Olkiluoto 3 nuke power unit granted permit

The Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK) on Thursday issued criticality and low power test permits to Teollisuuden Voima Oyj (TVO) Olkiluoto 3 nuclear power unit (OL3), said the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment in a press release.

Following the permission, the company can for the first time start a nuclear reaction in the new reactor.

STUK will monitor the starting and low power tests of the reactor on site at Olkiluoto. TVO will gradually increase the power of the reactor. TVO will need separate permits from STUK to increase the power output to more than 5%, 30% and 60% of the reactor’s total output.

During the low power tests, the plant unit will not yet be synchronised with the national power grid.

According to TVO, the unit will be connected to the national grid for the first time in January 2022. After that, preparations will be made for regular commercial production at full capacity, which is estimated to start in June 2022.

“We are now close to a moment when OL3 will begin to produce large amounts of emissions-free domestic electricity which is sorely needed by our electrifying society. When it operates at full capacity, the plant can produce approximately 13 terawatt hours of electricity per year. This will significantly increase Finland’s self-sufficiency in electricity. OL3 will increase the annual domestic electricity production to nearly 80 terawatt hours, which means that self-sufficiency will rise to more than 90%,” said Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä.

Olkiluoto 3 is the first nuclear power plant in the world to have a fully designed and operational waste management system ready at the commissioning stage. The spent fuel of the unit will be placed in Posiva’s final disposal facility in Olkiluoto bedrock, which is the first of its kind in the world.

On 7 March 2019, the Finnish Government granted an operating licence to OL3 nuclear power plant unit. The licence will remain in effect until 31 December 2038. STUK granted the facility a fuel loading permit on 26 March 2021. The planned operating life of OL3 is at least 60 years. However, the unit’s technical life may be considerably longer.

OL3 will be the biggest power plant unit in the Nordic and Baltic electricity markets. When it operates at full capacity, the plant can produce electricity at a capacity of 1,600 megawatts. This will reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Finland by millions of tonnes, while the share of emissions-free electricity production will increase in Finland to more than 90%.