Salmisaari B is a 163 MW coal power station in Uusimaa, Finland. It is operated by Helsingin Energia. Based on reported annual generation of 959 GWh, it can supply roughly 274k homes. It ranks #21 of 203 Finland power plants by installed capacity. Commissioned in 1984, it is around 42 years old — long-established. Its annual emissions of 730,121 t CO₂/yr (EU ETS verified (EUTL 2023)) are equivalent to about 170k cars driven for a year. In context, coal supplies about 0.2% of Finland's electricity; the national grid averages 57 gCO₂/kWh (96.3% low-carbon) (2025).
Plant data: WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0), id WRI1002525.
Data status
Known data
Calculated from dataset
Known, modelled and calculated values are kept separate. Missing fields are shown as unavailable.
Data provenance
Capacity and fuel are the upstream open-dataset record, not yet matched to a 2026 registry or GEM entry.
capacity: WRI GPPD; fuel: WRI GPPD
In context: how this plant compares
At 163 MW, Salmisaari B is below the median coal plant in Finland (230 MW). Technically it is described as subcritical. Coal plants burn pulverised coal to raise high-pressure steam for a turbine; they run as baseload but are the most carbon-intensive mainstream source and the first targeted for retirement or efficiency retrofits.
Capacity comparison computed from the WRI Global Power Plant Database; fuel-type context is general engineering background.
730,121 t CO₂/yr — in everyday terms
This facility's annual emissions are roughly equivalent to:
Equivalencies via US EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies; emissions per EU ETS verified (EUTL 2023) (measured for US EPA/EU ETS, modelled for Climate TRACE).
Key facts
- Load factor
- 67%, from 959 GWh of reported generation
- Generation trend
- 615 GWh in 2015 and 959 GWh in 2017 (+56%)
- Highest and lowest year
- 2016: 972 GWh; 2015: 615 GWh
- Share of Finland coal capacity
- 3.9% of 4,217 MW across 13 plants in this dataset
- Age among peers
- 10 of 13 dated coal plants in Finland are older
Calculated from the capacity and generation records in this dataset (WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0)).
Reported generation trend
Annual generation (GWh), WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0).
Owner
Operated by Helsingin Energia. All plants by this company →
Local climate & thermal context
This coal plant burns coal to raise high-pressure steam that spins a turbine-generator. It sits in a warm-summer humid continental climate (Köppen Dfb) — Northern Hemisphere, latitude 60.2°N — which shapes how much energy it can produce and how its output varies through the year.
Monthly mean temperature
Heating degree-days here run 87% above the median power plant in this dataset — a proxy for how much extra energy heated equipment must replace through its surfaces in winter.
Climate heat-demand index: 91/100 — this site sits in the top third of the power plants we cover by heating degree-days.
Climate normals: WorldClim 2.1 (1970–2000 monthly normals, 10 arc-min, CC BY 4.0); zone: Köppen-Geiger world climate classification (Kottek et al. 2006, 0.5° grid). Degree-days & heat-demand index computed by PowerAtlas — a modelled heat-demand proxy, not a measured site figure.
Site climate & environmental severity
This site sits in a corrosive environment (estimated ISO 9223 class C4 — High), with marine corrosion the leading environmental stress.
Indicative estimate via the ISO 9223:2012 informative method (atmospheric corrosivity from temperature, time-of-wetness and airborne salinity), using WorldClim climate normals, the Köppen-Geiger class and coast distance. Indicative, not a measured corrosion rate.
How it compares & nearby plants
The #9 largest coal power plant of 13 in Finland by capacity.
Finland has 13 coal power plants in this dataset, together about 4,217 MW of capacity.
Nearby power plants
- Kellosaari · Oil · 120 MW · Uusimaa
- Hanasaari B · Coal · 212 MW · Uusimaa
- Suomenoja power station · Coal · 279 MW · Uusimaa
- Martinlaakso · Gas · 171.7 MW · Uusimaa
- Vuosaari A · Gas · 163 MW · Uusimaa
- Vuosaari B · Gas · 485 MW · Uusimaa
Location
Coordinates 60.1656, 24.9048 from WRI Global Power Plant Database (CC BY 4.0). View on OpenStreetMap.
Frequently asked questions
What type of power plant is Salmisaari B?
Salmisaari B is a 163 MW coal power plant in Uusimaa, Finland, commissioned in 1984.
How much electricity does Salmisaari B generate?
Salmisaari B generates about 959 GWh of electricity per year.
Who operates Salmisaari B?
Salmisaari B is operated by Helsingin Energia.
How much CO₂ does Salmisaari B emit?
Salmisaari B has measured emissions of about 730,121 tonnes of CO₂ per year (EU ETS verified (EUTL 2023)).