Finland to end coal use in energy production in spring
The use of coal in Finland's energy production will end this spring, as energy companies Helen and Vantaan Energia are set to shut down their last remaining coal-fired power plants, the Finnish government announced on Tuesday, Xinhua reports.
According to a press release from the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, this move brings the use of coal in energy production to a close four years ahead of the legal deadline of May 2029.
"With coal no longer in use, this imported fossil fuel will be replaced with cleaner solutions that reduce climate emissions, while consumers benefit from lower energy prices," said Sari Multala, minister of climate and the environment, during a ceremony marking the closure of Helen's final coal-fired plant.
Finland began phasing out coal in electricity and heat production in the 2010s as a key step in cutting fossil fuel emissions. In 2019, the Finnish Parliament passed the Act on Prohibiting the Use of Coal as an Energy Source, which the ministry noted was the first legislation of its kind in the world.
The closures of the plants operated by Helen and Vantaan Energia in southern Finland are part of a broader energy transition, the ministry said, in which fossil fuels are being replaced by renewable and low-carbon alternatives.
Going forward, these companies will generate heat using electric boilers, heat pumps, energy storage, bioenergy, and waste heat recovery, among other technologies. Electricity production will focus primarily on wind, nuclear, hydro, and solar power.
The phase-out of coal is expected to significantly reduce emissions, enhance energy self-sufficiency, and lower energy costs. At the same time, energy companies have improved their competitiveness and laid the groundwork for adopting new technologies. This transition, the ministry added, will provide Finnish society with a more stable, sustainable, and climate-friendly energy system.
Earlier it was reported that Finland had been ranked as the world's happiest country according to the 2025 World Happiness Report.
