Finland to Convert Waste into Heat and Electricity
The operating company of the Finnish nuclear power plant Teollisuuden Voima Oyj (TVO) at Olkiluoto Nuclear Power Plant and the energy company Rauman Biovoima, which runs a combined heat-and-power (CHP) plant, will cooperate in waste management.
Under the cooperation agreement, waste produced during the operation of the NPP will be burned at the CHP plant to generate heat and electricity. Such waste includes overalls, gloves, and plastic covers. The waste has previously been cleared of radiation control — meaning it has been declared safe for people and the environment — and can now be treated like any other combustible municipal waste.
This is the first case in Finland where waste generated at nuclear power plants will be reused in this way. The first pilot batch of waste will be transferred from Olkiluoto to Rauman Biovoima during November.
The new operational model does not require substantial changes in waste-handling methods, equipment, or waste management facilities at Olkiluoto. The only difference compared to the previous model is that waste will now be divided into three categories, instead of two. Similarly, Rauman Biovoima will not need any modifications, special measures, or arrangements.
The introduced waste-to-energy model has been approved by the national radiation and nuclear safety regulator STUK and is based on the official instructions provided by it.