Energy sources at Helsingin Energia

Natural gas

Helsingin Energia uses mainly natural gas as a fuel for combined heat and power generation at the Vuosaari A and B power plants. Natural gas is also the primary fuel for peak-load heating plants. As a source of energy, the share of natural gas is 50% and sometimes in excess of this. Out of the fossil fuels, natural gas puts the least amount of load on the environment. Natural gas does not contain sulphur, particles or heavy metals and, as a result, its use does not produce any sulphur dioxide, particle or heavy metal emissions. The carbon dioxide emissions from the use of natural gas are also smaller than those produced by other fossil fuels.

Natural gas is an efficient energy source because its transmission losses are small and it can be used at an extremely high efficiency, i.e. almost all of the gas energy can be utilised in production. The natural gas used by Helsingin Energia comes from Russian natural gas fields.

Coal

Coal accounts for approximately one-third of production at Helsingin Energia. In mild seasons, energy is obtained from the Vuosaari natural gas-fired power plants and the Katri Vala heat pump plant. It has not been necessary to burn coal in the summer season for a number of years.

Coal is used at Helsingin Energia’s Hanasaari and Salmisaari power plants. The benefits of coal as a fuel include its good availability and its reasonable and stable price. Coal is also easy to store for emergency situations. The bulk of coal is imported by ship from Russia and Poland. In the acquisition, the seller’s responsibility is taken into account in addition to security of supplies, price and quality.

The environmental impacts of coal-fired power plants are reduced with efficient flue gas cleaning methods, including desulphurisation plants, as well as electrostatic precipitators and textile filters used for ash separation.

Nuclear power

Helsingin Energia acquires energy produced at the Olkiluoto nuclear power plant through Oy Mankala Ab, which is a shareholder of Teollisuuden Voima Oy.  The production and availability of the plant are top grade.

Fuel oil as reserve fuel

Helsingin Energia uses fuel oil for the start-up of its coal-fired power plants, as reserve fuel, and as fuel for its heating plants. Peak-load heating plants are only needed in sub-zero temperatures, and even then the main fuel is natural gas, while oil has accounted for approximately three per cent of district heat production.