News / 31.10.2018

Oil tank in the Lassila heating plant to be replaced

The Lassila heating plant, which safeguards heat supplies to North Helsinki, will undergo modifications to meet the EU's new emission limit requirements. The replacement of the oil tank at the heating plant will start in early November. After the oil tank replacement has been completed, the natural gas burners in two boilers in the heating plant will also be replaced.

Helen’s Lassila heating plant is a peak-load heating plant with the highest number of operating hours in the winter. The plant runs mainly on natural gas. In order to safeguard security of supply, fuel oil is used as reserve fuel for the natural gas boilers in the heating plant. The heating plant has two natural gas-fired boilers and two oil-fired boilers with a total capacity of 324 MW.

The modification work is necessary in order for the Lassila heating plant to meet the European Commission’s new emission limit requirements laid down in the Industrial Emissions Directive, which will enter into force on 1 July 2020.

Full phase-out of heavy fuel oil

In order to achieve the new emission limits, one of the two heavy fuel oil tanks will be decommissioned and the other one will be refitted into a double skin tank by building a new, smaller oil tank for light fuel oil inside it. In future, only light fuel oil will be used as reserve fuel at the heating plant.

The replacement of the oil tank in the heating plant will start in early November and it will be completed in June 2019. After the replacement of the oil tank has been completed, the natural gas burners of two boilers in the heating plant will be replaced during late 2019.

The modification work will increase traffic volumes in the vicinity of the heating plant. However, all equipment lifts will take place inside the fenced area of the heating plant. There may be occasional odour nuisance in the area in connection with the replacement of the oil tank. There may also be some noise emitted from the worksite during daytime hours.

Helen Ltd apologises for any disturbance caused.

Facts:

- The Lassila heating plant (Kaupintie 1, Helsinki) is an important part of the district heating network in Helsinki and one of the critical peak-load heating plants that safeguard the heat supply to the North Helsinki region.

- The main fuel used in the heating plant is natural gas, and oil is used as reserve fuel.

- The plant has two natural gas-fired boilers commissioned in 1995 and two heavy fuel oil-fired boilers commissioned in 1977–1978, with a rated thermal input of 324 MW.

- After the modification work, there will be one light fuel oil tank of 3,500 m3 in use in the area.