New Record Support For Nuclear While OL3 Started Regular Electricity Production
On Sunday, 16 April 2023, the Finnish nuclear operator Teollisuuden Voima Oyj – TVO (ENS Corporate Member) announced that Olkiluoto-3 completed the test production and it has started regular electricity production.
From now on, Finland’s “greatest climate act” and Europe’s largest NPP unit produces almost 30% of the country’s electricity, and it will produce energy for at least the next 60 years.
Olkiluoto-3 represents a significant addition to clean, domestic production – a step towards a carbon-neutral society while making Finland almost self-sufficient.
The production of Olkiluoto 3 stabilises the price of electricity and plays an important role in the Finnish green transition. The electrification of the society continues and environmentally friendly electricity production is undoubtedly one of the top trump cards that Finland has.
said TVO President and CEO Jarmo Tanhua.
Read the TVO Press Release.
During the same week, a survey by Kantar Public commissioned by Finnish Energy stated that support for nuclear power in Finland is at a record high.
“A record number 68 % of respondents are in favour of nuclear power, while only 6 % oppose it. Fully operative Olkiluoto 3 and national desire to gain distance from Russia strengthen support”, Finnish Energy says in a press release.
Opinions on nuclear power, April 2023 – Source: Finnish Energy & Kantar TNS
Indeed, according to the survey, 68 % of respondents are in favour of nuclear power (31 % completely in favour and 37 % mainly in favour). The majority of supporters of all political parties also shares a positive perception. The number of respondents who have a negative attitude towards nuclear power has further decreased from the previous years. This year, only 6 % of respondents had a negative attitude (1 % totally negative and 5 % mainly negative).
Finland needs all available clean energy sources to reach 2035 climate neutrality target […] The EU should recognize that in addition to renewables, also nuclear energy contributes to the climate targets. It should be promoted in the EU’s climate legislation as a carbon-free source of electricity
Jukka Leskelä, CEO of the Finnish Energy, said.