HelenDistrictHeat
Result of operations was good, eco-efficiency was awarded
As the previous four years, also the year 2008 was milder than normal, which is why district heat sales remained below a normal year's level. The acquisition costs of energy were higher than anticipated, which was due to the vigorous fluctuation of fuel prices. The turnover of HelenDistrictHeat was EUR 252 million, and the result of business operations was good.
In the mild year 2008, the average temperature of the heating season (5.6 °C) was approx. two degrees milder than the long-term (1971-2000) average, and only June, July and August were cooler than in a normal year. Due to the mild weather, district heat consumption remained approx. 12% below the level of a normal year. In the Helsinki distribution area, the sales volume of water-based district heat was 6,140 GWh. In addition to this, 24,9 GWh of heat was supplied to the cities of Espoo and Vantaa.
Eco-efficient district heating got distinction
Helsingin Energia received recognition form the IEA (International Energy Agency) in the operating year. The country-specific IEA report awarded the Finnish district heating the highest possible score. The report presented Helsingin Energia's district heating system as an excellent example of eco-efficiency. In Helsinki, 93% of the heat demand for buildings is met by district heating. In 2008, 93% of the district heat requirement was generated by CHP plants, 3% by sewage source heat pumps and the remaining 3% by heating plants. The entity was commended for cogeneration, large-scale district heating, and a new and innovative district cooling system as well as eco-efficiency and a diversified production structure.
Demand for reliable district heating still keen
A total of 298 new customers, whose connected heat load was 55 MW, were connected to the district heating network. Of the new customers, 200 were new buildings. 98 buildings switched from other heating systems to district heating. The market share of district heating in the volume of the new buildings that had applied for building permits in Helsinki was approx. 93%. At the end of the review year, Helsingin Energia had 13,570 district heat customers, whose total connected heat load was 3,190 MW.
Security of district heat supply was excellent in the review year. The average interruption duration per customer was about 3 hours. The number of outages attributable to new construction and repairs was 373. The number of faults in the district heating network was 126.
Investments in the distribution network and a heat production reform
A total of EUR 17.8 million was invested in the district heating networks in the operating year. Of this amount, the proportion of new district heating pipelines was approx. EUR 11.2 million and that of renovations and alterations approx. EUR 6.6 million. A total of 23.3 km of the new district heating pipelines were constructed during the year, and at the end of the year, the total length of the district heating network was 1,262 km. An 8.5-km section of the district heating network was renovated and modified. As a result of the mild winter, the amount of renovation work was larger than anticipated. In addition, HelenDistrictHeat had a 5.5-km district cooling pipeline constructed for HelenCooling.
HelenDistrictHeat's biggest investment in production was the 282 MW Hanasaari peak-load and reserve heating plant. The mechanical installations of the Hanasaari plant progressed well on schedule. This heating plant will be taken into commercial operation in the heating period 2009-2010, and its remit is to secure the supply of district heat to the centre of the city in reserve and peak-load situations. Thanks to it, both the Katri Vala and Hanasaari plants can be utilised in a more versatile manner. We have many good experiences with the operation of the Katri Vala heating and cooling plant in the course of the review year, and the end of the year revealed that the heat pumps had produced more than 3% of the entire district heat requirement of the city.
The total investments of HelenDistrictHeat were EUR 41,6 million, which is slightly more than in the previous year. Of this amount, the investments in production plants were EUR 11,9 million.
The changeover of our district heat customers to remote reading has progressed as planned. The biggest customer sites were the first to change over to remote reading. By 2013, the heat consumption data on all district heat customers will be gathered by remote reading. All new customers will automatically be brought within the scope of remote reading at the connection stage.
HelenDistrictHeat is responsible for the sale and distribution of district heat and the sufficient production capacity and production of peak-load and reserve heat. HelenDistrictHeat had 96 employees at the end of 2008.
District heat sales
Average price of district heat
District heat customers and connection power
