Strong Finnish expertise can support the growth of Europe’s nuclear sector

In recent years, much has been said about the nuclear renaissance, and the signs are clearly visible. Globally, more than 30 countries are considering increasing their nuclear power capacity. Dozens of countries without existing nuclear power are exploring the possibility of building it. In addition, lifetime extensions are being planned for existing nuclear power plants around the world.

In Europe, nuclear power is now increasingly seen as a means to enhance energy independence, competitiveness, and credibility in achieving climate targets. There is a strong ambition to further strengthen European expertise and to activate nuclear industry value chains to support the sector’s renewed growth.

Expertise grows by doing

In Finland, nuclear power currently accounts for around 40% of the country’s electricity generation. Nuclear power has been developed in Finland in a long-term, systematic manner with a strong culture of continuous improvement. For a long time, Finland was also among the few European countries that actively planned and built new nuclear power capacity. Olkiluoto 3 was commissioned for electricity production in spring 2023, but other projects under development did not ultimately reach completion. Whether projects were completed or not, there is another side to the coin: continuous development of expertise. The various projects actively pursued in Finland have strengthened the skills and capabilities of our nuclear professionals and we are now able to provide our expertise and experience to others.

At Fortum, nuclear services have been provided through the Nuclear Services business unit for ten years. Our experience as a nuclear power plant owner and operator, combined with our technical expertise, is highly valued. Over the years we have delivered customer projects in more than 30 countries.

New nuclear developers are on the move

The resurgence of nuclear power is reflected in our work through a growing number of enquiries related to new nuclear projects. In recent years, we have supported, through our expertise, the advancement of Poland’s large-scale nuclear power programme as well as several technology start-ups in the sector. Consulting enquiries related to lifetime extensions are also on the rise. At the Loviisa power plant, the first lifetime extension project for a nuclear power plant in the Nordic countries is currently underway, giving us first-hand experience in this field.

There is also strong demand for our simulation expertise. The Apros® software, jointly developed by Fortum and VTT, has been an effective tool for simulating modernisation projects aimed at lifetime extensions, as well as for the development of, among other things, SMR technologies. Apros® is an established and versatile software platform for the modelling and dynamic simulation of nuclear power plants – and, importantly, a purely European product.

World-class expertise in nuclear waste management

Finnish expertise in nuclear waste management has also attracted significant interest. In Finland, systematic nuclear waste management has always been an integral part of the responsible use of nuclear power. Issues related to nuclear waste have been addressed proactively, without postponing critical decisions to future generations. As a result, Finland has developed in-depth expertise in the management of waste from nuclear power plants, as well as unique solutions for waste treatment. A shining example is Posiva, jointly owned by Fortum and TVO, which has developed the world’s first solution for the final disposal of spent nuclear fuel.

Fortum’s own product offering in the field of nuclear waste management includes the NURES® family of selective ion exchangers, used for the efficient treatment of radioactive liquids. These products have been deployed at more than 60 customer sites worldwide, both at operating plants and in nuclear power plant decommissioning projects.

We want to be part of the solution

Although Finland is a small country, in my view we play a bigger role than our size suggests in the nuclear sector. We have the expertise and technologies needed to support other countries throughout the entire nuclear power lifecycle. We are part of the solution as Europe seeks to drive electrification and strengthen energy security.