Kymin Voima's biopower plant has generated reliable heat and electricity for the inhabitants of Kouvola and for the UPM Kymi mill for already 20 years. The power plant is again ready for the winter alter the summer overhaul and fuel stocking.
The Kymin Voima biopower plant produces approximately 80 per cent of the district heat used by the city of Kouvola. In addition, the plant provides process steam for the UPM Kymi integrated mill, as well as electricity for the plant owners. The power plant, commissioned in 2002, has a pivotal role in the security of energy supply in the region.
“Kymin Voima is a prime example of the mutual benefits and seamless functioning of an energy collaboration that combines the needs of the city with those of industrial operators. We have developed the power plant in close cooperation and taken care of the security of energy supply. Over the summer the power plant has undergone a thorough pre-emptive maintenance. We have stocked up fuel and the power plant is well prepared for the heating season”, says Antti Rainio, Managing Director of Kymin Voima.
“Our collaboration with Kymin Voima has been very reliable over the years. We have been able to supply responsibly produced district heating and power for our customers, i.e. the residents of the Kouvola region, since 2002. Combined heat and power production plays a significant role in our district heat production, and it is highly sustainable from both a financial and environmental perspective”, says Marko Riipinen, Managing Director of KSS Energia.
“For the UPM Kymi integrated mill the role of Kymin Voima as a producer of process heat and electricity is significant. Commitment to the use of renewable energy makes the operations of Kymin Voima sustainable. The cooperation between the partners has been well-functioning and the availability of the power plant top class”, says Matti Laaksonen, General Manager of UPM Kymi and Kaukas mills.
A trailblazer in the utlisation of renewable energy
The energy efficient Kymin Voima combined heat and power plant is a beacon of the circular economy, and a trailblazed in the utilisation of renewable energy.
“The carbon dioxide emissions of the heat generation in the region have decreased significantly with the biopower plant. Over the years, we have increased the share of renewable fuel usage in the power plant from 60 per cent to 90 per cent. Peat is used as a back-up fuel. We remain committed to increasing the share of carbon neutral fuels in our production even further”, Antti Rainio says.
The Kymin Voima biopower plant is one of the biggest power plant users of wood-based fuels in Finland. Main fuels consumed at the plant consist of carbon neutral wood-based fuels, such as bark, biosludge, and other by-products from the forest industry. The majority of the fuel is locally sourced. More than 90 per cent of it is supplied by UPM’s debarking plants. In addition, UPM Forest provides forest-based fuels for the plant.
Development projects to ensure reliable, efficient and flexible production
The necessary repairs and maintenance are completed annually during the summer overhauls, according to long-term pre-emptive maintenance plans. In addition, Kymin Voima has implemented projects to increase energy efficiency and the flexibility of production and has reduced emissions even further.
“Development projects focusing on the control systems for the boiler and the entire plant have proved cost-effective and have improved energy efficiency. They have also enabled us to cut emissions. This summer we renewed the process automation stations during the annual maintenance. This increases the flexibility of production. We will continue on the path of systematic development, as we want to control our availability, energy efficiency, and emissions even better than today”, says Antti Rainio.
Additional information: Antti Rainio, Managing Director, Kymin Voima Oy, tel. +358 40 703 3815, antti.rainio@pvo.fi
Kymin Voima is a subsidiary of Pohjolan Voima. It has a biopower plant at the UPM Kymi mill in the Kuusankoski area in Kouvola. The power plant produces process steam for the UPM Kymi integrated mill and district heat for KSS Energia, as well as electricity. The personnel of UMP Kymi are in charge of operating the power plant. Kymin Voima is owned by Pohjolan Voima Oyj (76%) and KSS Energia Oy (24%).