Water
Water availability is a prerequisite for Fortum’s operations where cooling water, in particular, is withdrawn from the sea and discharged back at nuclear and other condensing power plants. Fortum has also hydropower operations where water runs through the hydropower turbines with no significant changes in the water quality and quantity. Fortum’s responsibility for water use is related not only to water volume and availability, but also to its quality and to the aquatic habitat.
Majority of Fortum’s water use is sea water used for cooling
Fortum withdraws and discharges large amounts of water in its operations. In 2024, Fortum’s water withdrawal was 1,425 million m3, of which sea water for cooling accounted for 98%. Majority of cooling water is used at Loviisa nuclear power plant, but also in other production facilities. In 2024 freshwater withdrawal was 26 million m3. Majority of all withdrawn water is released back into the waterbody and less than 0.1% of total water withdrawal is consumed.
Fortum has operations in areas of water stress in Czestochowa, Poland, where Fortum operates a combined heat and power plant and heat boilers, which use water for cooling and other purposes. According to Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas, these operations are located in an area of extremely high (80-100%) water stress. In 2024, these operations represented 5.7% Fortum’s total water consumption.
Water withdrawal intensity and total water withdrawl
Fortum’s climate transition will positively impact water use
Fortum’s SBTi validated climate targets and subsequent actions presented in the climate transition plan are expected to decrease water consumption intensity. The reductions come largely from our Meri-Pori coal exit and Espoo Clean Heat initiatives and have partially already realised during 2024.