The Olkiluoto-3 nuclear power plant in southwest Finland has officially begun full commercial operation, making it the largest reactor – and the first of its kind – in operation in Europe.

Earlier this month the plant’s owner and operator Teollisuuden Voima Oyj (TVO) confirmed the handover of the 1,600-MW EPR unit from the supplier, the Franco-German Areva-Siemens consortium, and said full commercial operation would begin on 1 May.

TVO told NucNet on Tuesday (2 May) that commercial operation had begun as scheduled.

Olkiluoto-3, construction of which began in 2005 and has seen a number of delays and cost overruns, began regular electricity production on 16 April.