Helen announces large solar park project in Uusikaupunki, Finland

Southwest Finland is attracting the interest of energy companies keen on solar power, boasting solar resources comparable to those in Northern Germany. The energy company Helen has acquired a solar park site in Uusikaupunki’s Kalanti, which will cover approximately 200 hectares and feature 380,000 solar panels. Construction has been ongoing for more than a year.

According to Pekka Tolonen, Head of Electricity Production at Helen, most of the panels have already been installed in the northern part of the area, while electrical work continues. Installation of panels in the southern part is expected to proceed into next spring, with the entire park set to be operational by summer.

The solar park consists of 12 panel fields, with a total capacity of 206 megawatts, enough to meet the electricity needs of over 20,000 households. Once completed, it will be the largest solar power facility in Finland, although several larger and more efficient projects are currently planned across the country. The scale of these renewable energy projects reduces production costs.

Enhancing the attractiveness of the Kalanti site are its proximity to key infrastructure such as the main power grid and an electrical substation. Notably, this project has avoided delays related to environmental assessments, as the area was deemed not to require extensive evaluation. Significant efforts were made during planning to avoid sites with ecological value.

During the construction phase, there will be no unnecessary deforestation or soil disturbance, and green areas will be preserved between the panel fields. A 40-year lease agreement has been secured for the site. After this period, the future use of the area will be evaluated, either for restoration or continued energy production.

From a financial perspective, the solar park is projected to generate approximately €650,000 in property tax revenue for Uusikaupunki, bolstering the town’s profile as a center for clean energy and delivering benefits to local businesses.