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Pohjolan Voima Oyj

PVO

Pohjolan Voima is a Finnish energy company producing cost-price electricity and heat for industrial shareholders using hydropower, thermal power, and nuclear power, representing 20% of Finland's electricity generation.

Lobbying Activity

Pohjolan Voima calls for nuclear and hydropower taxonomy reform

5 Dec 2025
Topic — The initiative reviews the EU taxonomy environmental act to update technical screening criteria.
Message — The company asks to remove the link between hydropower and storage criteria to reduce reporting burdens. They want water protection standards aligned with EU law to ensure equal treatment for renewables. Finally, they propose reclassifying nuclear as a permanent net-zero solution.123
Why — This would reduce administrative burdens and provide greater legal clarity for investors.45
Impact — Environmental groups may lose the higher water protection standards currently required by the taxonomy.6
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Meeting with Maria Guzenina (Member of the European Parliament)

11 Nov 2025 · EU regulation on clean energy transition investments

Meeting with Elsi Katainen (Member of the European Parliament)

11 Nov 2025 · EU water regulation

Meeting with Gabriela Tschirkova (Cabinet of Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis)

11 Nov 2025 · Competitiveness energy sector

Meeting with Ann-Sofie Ronnlund (Cabinet of Commissioner Ekaterina Zaharieva) and Blic Oy

10 Nov 2025 · Clean energy

Finnish energy firm PVO urges technology neutrality for 2040 target

17 Sept 2025
Topic — The consultation seeks views on amending the European Climate Law with 2040 targets.
Message — PVO supports a 90% reduction target but demands a framework supporting hydropower and nuclear. They urge for technology neutrality and streamlined permit-granting to eliminate unnecessary administrative burden. Sectoral targets should include nuclear energy and its derivatives alongside renewables.123
Why — This would improve the investment environment and regulatory treatment for their specific energy portfolio.45
Impact — Wind and solar sectors might lose their preferential status under current EU regulatory frameworks.6
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Pohjolan Voima urges stability and simpler hydropower taxonomy rules

25 Mar 2025
Topic — The Commission is consulting on amendments to simplify reporting under the EU Taxonomy.
Message — PVO encourages the Commission not to make amendments to existing emissions thresholds to ensure predictability and regulatory stability. They also suggest revising criteria for hydropower that exceed the requirements of the Water Framework Directive.123
Why — Addressing redundant or excessive criteria would help reduce unnecessary regulatory burden and facilitate new investments.45
Impact — Environmental groups lose as the proposal calls to lower ecological standards that currently exceed existing legislation.6
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Pohjolan Voima warns against new EU water legislation

4 Mar 2025
Topic — The European Water Resilience Strategy aims to achieve a water-resilient Europe by 2040.
Message — PVO requests that the EU maintains the current framework and avoids new regulations. They believe additional legislative layers would complicate the existing streamlining efforts.12
Why — This would reduce regulatory complexity and protect their current energy production operations.3
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Meeting with Aleksandra Baranska (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera Rodríguez), Terhi Lehtonen (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera Rodríguez), Thomas Woolfson (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera Rodríguez) and

4 Mar 2025 · To hear interest representatives’ view on the Clean Industrial Deal and Affordable Energy Action Plan.

Meeting with Jussi Saramo (Member of the European Parliament)

5 Feb 2025 · Vesi- ja pumppuvoiman rooli EU:n ympäristösääntelyn näkökulmasta

Meeting with Aura Salla (Member of the European Parliament)

5 Feb 2025 · The role of hydro and pumped power in the context of EU environmental regulation in the upcoming period. The significance of pumped power as a clean and reliable energy storage solution becomes even more pronounced with the increasing share of wind a

Meeting with Antti Timonen (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen), Silke Dalton (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen)

4 Feb 2025 · The role of hydropower, energy and climate policies for the 2040 Climate Target.

Meeting with Pekka Toveri (Member of the European Parliament)

4 Feb 2025 · Current Topics in EU politics

Meeting with Jüri Ratas (Member of the European Parliament)

27 Nov 2024 · Electricity production

Meeting with Sebastian Tynkkynen (Member of the European Parliament) and Teollisuuden Voima Oyj

26 Nov 2024 · EU:n investointivarmuuden parantaminen

Meeting with Beatrice Timgren (Member of the European Parliament)

26 Nov 2024 · EU Energy Policy

Meeting with Maria Ohisalo (Member of the European Parliament)

26 Nov 2024 · Energy policy and environment

Meeting with Sebastian Tynkkynen (Member of the European Parliament)

26 Nov 2024 · Vesi- ja pumppuvoiman rooli alkavalla viisivuotiskaudella

Meeting with Eero Heinäluoma (Member of the European Parliament)

26 Nov 2024 · Current Affairs in the Energy Industry

Meeting with Morten Løkkegaard (Member of the European Parliament)

26 Nov 2024 · Hydropower and climate policies

Meeting with Sebastian Tynkkynen (Member of the European Parliament)

18 Oct 2024 · Ajankohtaiset asiat

Meeting with Matti Niemi (Cabinet of Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen) and Blic Oy

25 Sept 2024 · Pohjolan Voima requested a meeting to discuss the overall state of EU energy legislation and future thinking on competitiveness and investments in to clean energy.

Meeting with Daniel Mes (Cabinet of Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra)

21 Feb 2024 · Hydropower for climate action

Meeting with Eero Heinäluoma (Member of the European Parliament)

20 Feb 2024 · Ajankohtaisaiheet

Meeting with Elsi Katainen (Member of the European Parliament)

20 Feb 2024 · Energy and Climate Policy

Meeting with Nils Torvalds (Member of the European Parliament) and Finnish Startup Community

11 Oct 2023 · Actual EU-policy matters

Meeting with Henna Virkkunen (Member of the European Parliament)

11 Oct 2023 · EU Energy Affairs

Meeting with Elsi Katainen (Member of the European Parliament)

11 Oct 2023 · Energy- and climate politics development (2040 goals)

Meeting with Mauri Pekkarinen (Member of the European Parliament)

10 Oct 2023 · Discussion on the development of the EU's energy and climate policy

Meeting with Eero Heinäluoma (Member of the European Parliament)

6 Jun 2023 · Electricity market reform

Meeting with Suvi Leinonen (Cabinet of Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen) and Blic Oy

5 Jun 2023 · green transition

Meeting with Elsi Katainen (Member of the European Parliament)

1 Feb 2023 · Reforming the electricity market

Meeting with Aleksandra Tomczak (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans), Riccardo Maggi (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans)

31 Jan 2023 · Finish energy sector decarbonisation and electricity market design reform

Meeting with Mauri Pekkarinen (Member of the European Parliament) and Fortum Oyj

31 Jan 2023 · Current EU Affairs

Meeting with Thor-Sten Vertmann (Cabinet of Commissioner Kadri Simson)

31 Jan 2023 · To exchange views on the electricity market revision.

Meeting with Nils Torvalds (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur)

12 Oct 2022 · RED III

Meeting with Heidi Hautala (Member of the European Parliament)

10 Oct 2022 · EU:n energiapolitiikka (staff level, illallinen suomalaisille MEP-avustajille)

Meeting with Suvi Leinonen (Cabinet of Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen) and Blic Oy

28 Jun 2022 · European green deal and energy

Meeting with Barbara Glowacka (Cabinet of Commissioner Kadri Simson)

28 Jun 2022 · The role of hydropower in the EU’s energy policy, in the context of the ongoing Fit for 55 process and the energy crisis as well as the upcoming new environmental legislation.

Meeting with Mauri Pekkarinen (Member of the European Parliament)

17 May 2022 · Discussion on Fit for 55

Meeting with Henna Virkkunen (Member of the European Parliament)

17 May 2022 · Fit for 55

Meeting with Barbara Glowacka (Cabinet of Commissioner Kadri Simson)

10 Feb 2022 · RED II and Hydropower.

Meeting with Laure Chapuis (Cabinet of Commissioner Kadri Simson)

20 Sept 2021 · To exchange views on the Commission’s upcoming energy policy initiatives, particularly the updating of the Renewable Energy Directive and the role of hydropower in the EU’s rapidly evolving energy and climate policy.

Response to Thermal oxidation materials and derivates in EU fertilising products

15 Feb 2021

The initiative to add thermal oxidation materials or derivates to the materials allowed in fertilising products is very welcomed. This can really promote the EU Circular Economy, as many of these materials contain useful nutrients. However, the added CMC 13 of thermal oxidation materials or derivates and the background reports seem not to observe the experience and regulation that Member States already have using these materials as fertilisers, nor all the boiler technologies producing good quality ashes. CMC 13 regulates quite a list of input materials. We propose that the thermal oxidation material itself would be the defining factor when used as materials of fertilising products. In the Regulation of Fertilising Products there are also product fertiliser categories (PFCs) and limit values for them. Thermal oxidation materials can be minor components in the products and regulating these in many different ways can affect the potential of circular economy and material efficiency. However, as the form the CMC 13 now is, we propose to remove the exclusion of industrial sludges in 1. (a). Industrial sludges should be allowed as input materials when criteria to the thermal oxidation materials are fulfilled. To be more clear in 1. (b) the last part of the sentence "if not chemically modified" should be removed to be in line with the definition in the IE Directive. CMC 13 (4.(b)) regulates the total organic carbon content of slags and bottom ashes should be less than 3 %. We propose that this limit would be at least 5 %.
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Response to Climate change mitigation and adaptation taxonomy

17 Dec 2020

As the producer of nearly 20% of the total electricity produced in Finland, Pohjolan Voima (PVO) welcomes this opportunity to provide input to this key initiative. PVO recognizes that the Commission’s proposed Delegated Act supplementing Regulation (EU) 2020/852 would have major consequences for its low-emission electricity production technologies, most notably nuclear and hydropower. PVO would like to underline the following key proposals: - The DNSH requirements for hydropower are significantly more stringent than the existing EU legislation and should be replaced with a reference to the Water Framework Directive and other relevant existing EU legislation. - Nuclear power should be included in the taxonomy. - Bioenergy must not be classified as a transitional activity. Hydropower: - The requirement to prove that lifecycle emissions are below the threshold places hydropower in an unequal position in comparison with other renewable electricity generation technologies. All technologies that are well below the threshold of 100 gCO2eq/kWh should be treated equally, and hydropower should thereby be exempted from the life-cycle assessment. - Hydropower, as opposed to wind and solar, is subjected to strict environmental requirements in the Commission’s new proposal. These DNSH criteria were not included in the TEG report and go beyond the existing EU legislation (e.g. the Water Framework Directive). This would require significant investments in existing hydropower plants, which is not in line with the principle of technology neutrality. Therefore, we propose that the Commission refers within the Delegated Act and its Annexes only to existing EU environmental legislation and removes the proposed DNSH criteria for hydropower. Nuclear power: - While it is commendable that the TEG’s recommendations were followed when assessing the role of nuclear energy under the Taxonomy, PVO regrets that the assessment of nuclear will not be finalised in 2020. - Excluding nuclear power from taxonomy is not in line with the principle of technology neutrality and would hamper competition as some technologies have access to sustainable financing earlier than others. Due to the delayed assessment, nuclear power might also be excluded from certain EU policies (e.g. Ecolabel, EIB Energy Lending Criteria) until their next revision, which would further exacerbate the problem. - We strongly recommend that the Commission prepares the delegated acts so that the evaluation of the whole energy block is completed in an equal manner. Delegated acts should not be published until the assessments of competing technologies are complete. Bioenergy: - Bioenergy is currently by far the largest source of renewable energy in the EU, and it can play a crucial role in a carbon neutral Europe by 2050. PVO welcomes the fact that the draft sustainability criteria for bioenergy have mainly been set in accordance with the existing EU legislation (e.g. RED II). - All renewables technologies should be placed on the same footing, and bioenergy should be classified as ‘sustainable’ in accordance with Article 10.1 of the Taxonomy Regulation stating that renewables are regarded as a sustainable energy source pursuant to RED II. It is thus not in line with the principle of technology neutrality that in climate change mitigation criteria (4.8., 4.13., 4.20., 4.24.) bioenergy is mentioned as a transitional technology. Accordingly, bioenergy should be added to Section 7.6. Installation, maintenance, and repair of renewable energy technologies. - Section 4.8 is almost fully aligned with RED II. However, multifuel boilers are for some reason not mentioned. These can replace a major part of fossil fuels with biomass and other fossil-free fuels. The part of multifuel boiler investments that increases the use of non-fossil fuels should be included. In the case of electricity, if the plant falls below GHG-threshold, the investment should be included in total.
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Meeting with Adalbert Jahnz (Cabinet of Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič)

3 Apr 2019 · Hydro power in the EU energy mix

Response to Fitness Check of the Water Framework Directive and the Floods Directive

16 Nov 2017

In the view of Pohjolan Voima Oy (PVO), the EU’s Water Framework Directive (WFD) is a reasonably effective legislative instrument with important aims. PVO is not advocating for an update of WFD, but would like to make two general observations about matters that should be taken into consideration in the Fitness Check and any possible subsequent reform of the WFD. 1) As the second-largest energy company in Finland with a significant hydropower portfolio, PVO would like to see the energy and climate policy benefits of hydropower be taken into account when the EU’s environmental water policy and WFD are assessed. Not only does hydropower contribute to the EU’s climate policy targets, it is also an important source of balancing power and thus an enabler of other, more variable, forms of renewable energy. The Finnish energy system, for instance, is largely reliant of the balancing power capabilities of hydropower. 2) While it is good that the WFD provides an EU-level impetus for the betterment of quality of waters in the EU, PVO would like to underline the fact that since no two water bodies are alike, the best solutions for achieving good ecological results are usually found at a local level. Thus, it remains important to refrain from one-size-fits-all approaches to environmental requirements. Likewise, it is necessary to ensure that requirements arising from the WFD remain proportional to the problems they address.
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Meeting with Grzegorz Radziejewski (Cabinet of Vice-President Jyrki Katainen)

11 Oct 2017 · EU energy policy and the Water Framework Directive

Meeting with Aurore Maillet (Cabinet of Vice-President Karmenu Vella), Juergen Mueller (Cabinet of Vice-President Karmenu Vella)

7 Jun 2017 · Energy and Environment

Meeting with Juho Romakkaniemi (Cabinet of Vice-President Jyrki Katainen) and Blic Oy

6 Jun 2017 · Future of Europe energy policy

Meeting with Kaius Kristian Hedberg (Cabinet of Commissioner Elżbieta Bieńkowska), Rolf Carsten Bermig (Cabinet of Commissioner Elżbieta Bieńkowska) and Blic Oy

6 Jun 2017 · EU energy policy

Meeting with Pierre Schellekens (Cabinet of Vice-President Miguel Arias Cañete)

6 Jun 2017 · Changing EU energy policy and competiveness of electricity generation

Meeting with Gonzalo De Mendoza Asensi (Cabinet of Vice-President Miguel Arias Cañete) and Teollisuuden Voima Oyj

21 Oct 2015 · Role of nuclear power in the EU energy policy