The professor amazes nuclear power planners on Yle – “A remarkable idea”

Experts doubt Yle’s forecast that electricity consumption would double in Finland in just over 10 years.

Minister of the Environment and Climate Kai Mykkänen (kok) has justified the need for new nuclear power by the doubling of electricity consumption from 2022 to 2035. Mykkänen stated on Tuesdaythat the government should decide on new state support for nuclear power this spring.

“In Finland, it is worth creating a financing solution for a new, significant-sized nuclear power plant or several to be built in Finland,” Mykkänen said on Tuesday.

Message service in X Mykkänen refers to the grid company Fingrid’s numbers and states that in 10–15 years electricity will be needed twice as much compared to today, if Finland is serious about a clean transition based on electricity, wants to develop industry and minimize the risk of power outages.

“We urgently need wind and solar power as well as batteries and flexibility of consumption. The risk is that how low the share of nuclear and hydropower in electricity can fall before the cornerstones of good development weaken due to fluctuations in electricity supply. That’s why there is a need for a financing solution for nuclear power,” he states in X.

“There are many types of nuclear power plants. I’m interested in a series of smaller modulars as well as a larger one. If you get district heating at the same time, so much the better. The most effective basic power concepts to the top. But plenty of clean electricity is needed. Part with all kinds of weather, in addition to wind and sun.”

This is what the experts say

Working life professor at Aalto University Iivo Vehviläinen and professor of nuclear power engineering at LUT University Juhani Hyvärinen evaluate plans Up in the morning and Ylen Ykkösaamu.

According to Vehviläinen, it is a “remarkable idea” to predict what the need for different things will be like 10 years from now. At the moment, some years from now, the price levels on the wholesale market are around 40 euros per megawatt hour, and building a nuclear power plant in Europe costs at least double that – so the market would say that there is no need for a new nuclear power plant, he points out.

“In my opinion, it is dangerous to do it in such a way that an individual researcher or any entity would start thinking about what is needed now. That’s why we’ve created a market mechanism,” he says in Yle’s morning.

In Vehviläinen’s opinion, it is brave to claim that the transition to clean energy depends on a new nuclear power plant. He himself would not dare to say so.

“I don’t see it possible that we support something that would improve our competitiveness in international competition,” says Vehviläinen in Ykkösaamu.

Growth forecasts are doubtful

According to Vehviläinen, Finland lacks independent growth forecasts for electricity consumption. On the contrary, electricity consumption has decreased slightly over the past decade, he points out.

LUT University’s Hyvärinen is also skeptical about the estimate of the doubling of consumption.

“It is unclear to me how electricity consumption in Finland will develop”, Hyvärinen states in Ykkösaamu.

“Yes, I dare to doubt it myself, why it would double now.”

If electricity consumption really increases, then more nuclear power must be built in Finland, Hyvärinen believes. According to him, the necessary amount depends on the growth of consumption. He also considers the request to “level the playing field” reasonable, because the conditions in the energy system are not the same for everyone these days.