End of an era: Coal phase-out

The "Salmisari" power plant produced heat and electricity for Helsinki, and its closure will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and stop the rise in electricity prices.

Annual carbon dioxide emissions from the power plant are estimated to be reduced by 50% compared to 2024, while total emissions in the Finnish capital will drop by 30%, the energy company said in a statement, Capital reports.

Calling it "the end of the coal era" and a step towards cleaner, self-sufficient and more affordable energy, the company said the plant's closure also means Finland's total emissions will drop by nearly two percent compared to last year.

The company, however, will continue to keep coal reserves in the warehouse and use it "if necessary". In 2019, Finland made a decision to ban the use of coal in energy production from May 1, 2029.

Since 2020, the country's wind energy capacity has more than doubled, from which a quarter of electricity is now produced.

During the same period, coal production fell by 73 percent and now accounts for less than one percent of the energy mix.