Helen mulls building small nuke power plant

Energy company Helen has set a target to build a small nuclear power plant for heat production of Helsinki city, said the company in a press release on Monday.

The company has launched a nuclear energy programme, and in its first phase Helen will negotiate with potential partner shareholders, evaluate plant suppliers and determine potential plant sites.

The first phase of the programme is due to be completed in 2026.

Helen’s decision to start exploring the potential of nuclear energy stems from the company’s goal of non-combustion in energy production during the 2030s.

Achieving this requires a steady, reliable and electricity-independent heat source that can be located near the district heating network.

Helen’s nuclear energy programme evaluates small modular reactors (SMRs) based on proven solutions, which can be used to produce only heat or both electricity and heat.

“Our goal of non-combustion requires determined measures to harness all clean forms of production as part of our energy system. We have therefore decided to proceed with the nuclear energy programme systematically and as quickly as possible, realising that this is a multi-year project. Eventually, if everything falls into place, we will have our first SMR providing heat for Helsinki no later than in the early 2030s,” said Helen’s Chief Executive Officer Olli Sirkka.