District heating is available through combined heat and power plants which are located in different areas throughout the city and are used to efficiently heat up the surrounding areas. An example of such a plant is the coal fired power plant in Salmisaari (shown in the picture above). The infrastructure consists of four main District Heating powerplants in Helsinki located on the outskirts of the city limits, at Vuossari, Hanasaari, Salmisaari and Kellossara. These are responsible for most of the power supplied throughout Helsinki although there are smaller power plants which also supply power. The DH network is highly efficient with a small rate in heat loss, through the production of heat in power and heating plants.
Incidentally, to provide a pollution free environment due to international agreements to reduce its emission levels; Finland also developed its first Sulfur reduction plants at Salmisaari in 1987. The development of the new plants had significantly reduced the sulfur dioxide levels in the atmosphere.
The power plants work by recycling the water by running it again through the power plant and the pipelines back to the consumers at the appropriate temperature. It is possible to provide electricity and heat through the use of various fuels in power plants such as natural gas, coal, fossil fuels, oil and hydroelectric power. The construction of the power plants have been taken into great consideration to prevent any environmental hazards according to Geneva convention of 1979. Since District Heating is a major source of heat and energy production, its companies are located all through Helsinki and therefore they provide employment opportunities for the local people, thereby not only creating a better living environment in Helsinki but also creating stability in their economy and living standards.