Our environment
Loviisa power plant environmental report 2023 has been publishedEnvironmental Impacts
The environmental work of the Loviisa power plant is guided by the environmental standard ISO 14001. The system covers all operations by the Loviisa power plant and its contractors who work at the island of Hästholmen. The electricity production of the Loviisa nuclear power plant avoids about 6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere in Finland each year compared to producing a similar amount with fossil fuels.
As a producer of clean energy, the Loviisa power plant and carbon-free nuclear power play a significant role in mitigating climate change. The greenhouse gas emissions over nuclear power’s lifecycle are equivalent to those of wind, hydro and solar power.
The power plant’s most significant environmental impact is the thermal load on the sea caused by the cooling water, which heats up by about 10 degrees as it passes through the plant. In practice, two-thirds of the thermal energy produced by the reactor ends up in the sea with the cooling water. According to temperature measurements, the discharged water raises the temperature of the sea water during the growing season by about 1-2.5 degrees within a 1-2 kilometre range from the discharge point.
Environmental monitoring
Emissions from the power plant and their impact on the environment are monitored in accordance with monitoring programmes approved by the authorities. Annual monitoring reports are prepared. For cooling and waste water, the programme includes load monitoring and monitoring of the surrounding sea area for water quality and fisheries.
Monitoring of radioactive discharges and their effects will be carried out in the framework of the environmental radiation monitoring programme. Samples are taken from, inter alia, the air we breathe, seawater, environmental vegetation and various stages of the human food chain. Sample analyses are carried out by the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority's Research and Environmental Monitoring Department.
Waste management
Loviisa power plant aims to prevent waste and increase the share of recyclable waste
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