Finnish reactors halted as malfunctions strike power plants

The Finnish nuclear power plants Loviisa and Olkiluoto experienced malfunctions that shut down two of the five reactors. Operators of both facilities have stated that the situation does not pose a radiation threat.

In Finland's oldest nuclear power plant, Loviisa, situated on the southern coast, the malfunction affected the second unit due to a fault in the cooling system. Fortum, the plant operator, emphasised that the first unit operates without interruptions. However, no timeline was provided for the reactor's return to service.

At the Olkiluoto plant, located on the island of the same name, the turbine's oil system of the third unit was damaged. TVO, the operating company, reported that repairs will take longer than initially anticipated, and the reactor will be reconnected within two days.

The Loviisa nuclear power plant, constructed in the 1970s and 1980s using technology from the former USSR, provides about 10 percent of Finland's electricity. Meanwhile, Olkiluoto, which contributes approximately 30 percent of the national energy mix, houses the OL3 reactor, the largest in Europe, accounting for nearly 15 percent of the country's electricity.

The OL3 reactor, built by a French-German consortium, was launched last spring after many years of delays due to technical and administrative issues. Its capacity is 1,600 megawatts, making it a crucial element of Finland's energy system.

Operators of both power plants ensure that despite the malfunctions, there is no threat to radiation safety.

Note: There's no need to adjust the time to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), as no specific times are mentioned in the article. Additionally, the units megawatts (MW) and percentage (%) are used commonly in the UK and thus haven't been converted.