The international press revealed that Finland will soon be home to the largest nuclear reactor in Europe this week. The Olkiluoto 3 (OL3) nuclear power plant unit was granted a charging permit on 26 March.
Located in Eurajoki, Southwest Finland, the unit is expected to produce around 14 per cent of the country’s electricity and will likely begin commercial operations in February 2022.
OL3 is capable of generating 1,600 megawatts of electricity and is also the largest nuclear reactor in the Nordic and Baltic electricity markets.
Finland’s gun control regulations were also brought to the fore this week, in light of the recent mass shootings that occurred in the US.
While both countries have a high gun ownership rate, Finland’s firearm regulations are far more stringent than that of the US. The Small Arms Survey conducted in 2018 found that there were 121 guns for every 100 residents in the US and 32 for every 100 in Finland.
Sports and hunting are the only valid conditions for a gun permit in Finland, where no one below the age of 20 is allowed to purchase or own a semi-automatic weapon.
Finnish beverage company Arctic Blue Beverages also made a splash with its new oat-based liqueur this week. Arctic Blue Oat, a vegan and gluten-free drink, will be the world’s first gin-based oat liqueur.
The liqueur will be made from organic Finnish oats, and does not contain additives. The artisan gin used in the drink is sourced from the Eastern Finnish community of Ilomantsi.
Arctic Blue Oat will be launched in the Finnish market by Summer and will become available in other countries later this year.
Meanwhile, Finnish retailing cooperative organisation S-Group is set to build a nationwide charging network for electric vehicles in Finland between 2021 and 2024.
Lahti-based Kempower Oy has been chosen as the charging partner. The chargers will be distributed via S-Group’s ABC brand, which is a nationwide service station chain with hundreds of stations and service centres across the country.
In other news, Finnish healthcare technology company Buddy Healthcare has received 2 million euros in funding to further develop its BuddyCare concept.
BuddyCare is an automated care coordination platform that makes communication between patients and hospitals easier through notifications, detailed medical history and automated appointment booking.
Finland to operate the largest nuclear reactor in Europe
The Olkiluoto 3 (OL3) nuclear power plant unit in Eurajoki has received permission to charge and fuel from the Nuclear Safety Authority (STUK). The charging permit certifies that the unit has met all safety requirements.
Once the OL3 begins operations, it will be the largest nuclear reactor in Europe. As per a press release by the Finnish government, the first refuelling (expected in 2022) will signify that operations have begun. It will then become connected to the country’s electricity grid.
The OL3 unit is estimated to reduce Finland’s greenhouse gas emissions significantly. Construction on the unit began in 2005 but was only completed recently due to numerous delays.
Original story was published by theMayor.eu on 29.03.2021 and can be found here.
Finland’s effective gun control held up as an example
The recent spate of mass shootings in the US has drawn attention to Finland. Despite being ranked eighth in the list of 25 countries with highest gun ownership, Finland has managed to keep instances of gun violence low.
After two school shootings led to a total of around 20 deaths in 2007 and 2008, the country reduced the availability of semiautomatic weapons significantly. Police also began actively canceling permits if the weapon holders were revealed to have criminal convictions or registered mental health issues.
Additionally, Finnish police cooperate with health authorities to identify and prevent potential violence. Self-defence is not an acceptable reason for purchasing a gun in the country.
Original story was published by Xinhuanet on 28.03.2021 and can be found here.
Finnish company launches world’s first gin-based oat liqueur
Finland-based Arctic Blue Beverages, best known for manufacturing Arctic Blue Gin, is set to launch the world’s first gin-based oat liqueur.
Unlike most oat drinks, Arctic Blue Oat will contain only gluten-free, organic Finnish oats and water, with no additives.
Oat-based products have become increasingly popular in recent years due to their health and environmental benefits.
Original story was published by Street Insider on 29.03.2021 and can be found here.
S-Group to develop nationwide charging network for electric vehicles
Customer-owned Finnish retailing cooperative organisation S-Group will partner with Kempower Oy to advance the electrification of vehicles in Finland.
Charging stations under the ABC brand are expected to be available at locations such as Prisma hypermarkets, hotels and ABC traffic stations within the next two years.
According to ABC’s estimates, there will be over 500,000 electric or rechargeable hybrid cars in Finland by 2030.
Original story was published by Yahoo! Finance on 31.03.2021 and can be found here.
Finnish healthcare platform receives €2 million in founding
BuddyCare, an automated care coordination platform developed by Finnish health technology company Buddy Healthcare, has received 2 million euros in funding for internationalisation.
The platform automatically provides patients with vital information regarding their treatment and grants healthcare professionals access to medical history, thereby freeing up time. It also offers a personalised care schedule that enables patients to receive notifications, send messages to doctors or book appointments.
The latest funding round was led by UTU Invest Oy and Swedish investment company Nidoco AB. Business Finland will also invest in the platform.
Original story was published by MobiHealthNews on 30.03.2021 and can be found here.
Tahira Sequeira
Helsinki Times
